Paul E. Davis
Encyclopedia
Paul E. Davis was an American football
player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Mississippi State University
from 1962 to 1966, compiling a record of 20–28–2.
and attended Young High School there, where he was selected as caption of the school's football team in both 1940 and 1941. During World War II
, he served in the United States Army
in Europe. He played college football
at the University of Mississippi
after completing his military service.
football team, leading the Bobcats to a 9–0–1 mark and a state championship in 1951, and a 34–11–3 record while coaching the team from 1950 to 1954. He left to take a position as coach at Memphis State University, among other schools, before heading to Mississippi State University
under head coach Wade Walker
.
He was the head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs football
team from 1962 until 1966, with his teams going 20–38–2 overall and 9–22–2 in the Southeastern Conference
in those five seasons. The team had a 7–2–2 record in 1963, earning its first postseason bowl game since 1939. The team finished the season with a 16–12 victory over North Carolina State
in front of 8,309 fans at the 1963 Liberty Bowl
played in a bitter cold Philadelphia. Mississippi State was able to convert two botched North Carolina State punts into touchdowns, and a 13–0 lead at the first quarter. United Press International
named Davis the SEC Coach of the Year for the 1963 season. After a 2–8 record in the 1966 season, Mississippi State dismissed Davis, as well as athletic director Wade Walker. Charles Shira, who had been defensive coach for the University of Texas
, was named to fill both vacant positions.
He was defensive coordinator and assistant head coach, among other positions, for the Auburn Tigers football
team under Shug Jordan (1967 to 1975), Doug Barfield
(1976 to 1980) and Pat Dye
(1987 to 1990), spending a total of 17 years with the team.
. He was survived by two children and two grandchildren.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
from 1962 to 1966, compiling a record of 20–28–2.
Playing career
Davis grew up in Knoxville, TennesseeKnoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
and attended Young High School there, where he was selected as caption of the school's football team in both 1940 and 1941. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in Europe. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Mississippi
Ole Miss Rebels football
The football history of the University of Mississippi , includes the formation of the first football team in the state and is 26th on the list of college football's all-time winning programs...
after completing his military service.
Coaching career
Davis was head coach at New Albany High School in Mississippi before taking the reins of the Jones County Junior CollegeJones County Junior College
Jones County Junior College is a junior college accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools located in Ellisville, Mississippi. JCJC serves its eight-county district consisting of Clarke, Covington, Greene, Jasper, Jones, Perry, Smith and Wayne...
football team, leading the Bobcats to a 9–0–1 mark and a state championship in 1951, and a 34–11–3 record while coaching the team from 1950 to 1954. He left to take a position as coach at Memphis State University, among other schools, before heading to Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
under head coach Wade Walker
Wade Walker
Wade Walker is an American former football player, coach, and university administrator. He played college football as a tackle at the University of Oklahoma under head coaches Jim Tatum and Bud Wilkinson. Walker was named an all-conference player all four years and a first-team All-American in 1949...
.
He was the head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs football
Mississippi State Bulldogs football
The Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124...
team from 1962 until 1966, with his teams going 20–38–2 overall and 9–22–2 in the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
in those five seasons. The team had a 7–2–2 record in 1963, earning its first postseason bowl game since 1939. The team finished the season with a 16–12 victory over North Carolina State
NC State Wolfpack football
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Wolfpack currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference....
in front of 8,309 fans at the 1963 Liberty Bowl
1963 Liberty Bowl
The 1963 Liberty Bowl was a college football bowl game played at Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between the and the before a crowd of 8,309 fans in brutally cold weather. Coach Paul E...
played in a bitter cold Philadelphia. Mississippi State was able to convert two botched North Carolina State punts into touchdowns, and a 13–0 lead at the first quarter. United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
named Davis the SEC Coach of the Year for the 1963 season. After a 2–8 record in the 1966 season, Mississippi State dismissed Davis, as well as athletic director Wade Walker. Charles Shira, who had been defensive coach for the University of Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
, was named to fill both vacant positions.
He was defensive coordinator and assistant head coach, among other positions, for the Auburn Tigers football
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
team under Shug Jordan (1967 to 1975), Doug Barfield
Doug Barfield
-External links:...
(1976 to 1980) and Pat Dye
Pat Dye
Patrick Fain Dye is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at East Carolina University , the University of Wyoming , and Auburn University compiling a career college football record of 153–62–5...
(1987 to 1990), spending a total of 17 years with the team.
Death
Davis died at age 87 on March 31, 2009 at a hospice in Auburn, AlabamaAuburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...
. He was survived by two children and two grandchildren.