University of North Carolina Athletics
What They're Saying About Butch Davis
November 27, 2006 | Football
Nov. 27, 2006
"Butch has been successful at every level of coaching. He came from good
stock. His dad was a Hall of Fame high school coach in Oklahoma. Butch is
more than a coach of just X's and O's. He will build relationships for the
university and the athletic program. He will be not only a winning football
coach, but also a great team player for everyone at the University of North
Carolina."
Frank Broyles,
Arkansas Athletic Director,
Davis' college coach at Arkansas
"Butch Davis worked for me for many years and did a great job. He is an
outstanding coach and recruiter, and North Carolina is extremely fortunate
to obtain him. I'm sure he'll do a great job."
Jimmy Johnson,
Fox Sports NFL Analyst,
Former Miami (Fla.) & NFL Head Coach
"I think Butch Davis is an outstanding choice for the University of
North Carolina. I first got to know him by coaching against him when he was
at the Dallas Cowboys. He coached the defensive line, and I admired the way
that line always played. I followed his career and stayed in touch with him
when he went to Miami and completely turned that program around. When I was
in Atlanta and we were in the Super Bowl, we used his practice facility at
Miami and I got to spend more time with him. I got to see first-hand how
great his relationships are with his players. He's a personable and
impressive person. I like him not only as a coach, but as a person and I
think it's a great choice."
Dan Reeves,
Former NFL Head Coach
"We are losing a great friend of the network. He came in and impressed everybody with how much he cared about doing things the right way. He was on time, he worked hard and he worked longer than he needed to. There wasn't a person at the network that didn't respect Butch Davis and I'm at the top of that list.
I worked side-by-side with him every week for the last year and a half.
Integrity, honesty, sense of humor, likability - you name it, he's off the
charts. He's one of my favorite people in the world."
Paul Burmeister,
NFL Network Studio Host,
Former Iowa Quarterback
"One of the things you'll find out about Butch is how much he cares about people. You could see that in the fifth and sixth grade and you could see that all through college. He's a person who once he gets to know you, will always remember you and stay in touch with you. His concerns are not about what you do on the football field, his concerns are what you do as a young man, about being respectful to your family, about being respectful to the community and being thoughtful to your teammates and fellow students. He wants to prepare young men who will go on and be successful beyond the football field because football is only temporary.
"The environment in Chapel Hill is great for him and his family. It's a
great fit because the people at North Carolina put the proper perspective on
the relationship of sports and academics."
John Tyson,
Chairman of Tyson Foods,
Friend of Davis since the second grade
"Butch Davis is a man of integrity, who is a superb coach with great
people skills. He is an excellent role model with a strong commitment to his
profession and calling, which enables him to recruit quality players who win
on the playing field and prepares them for a life after football. ... I
believe he is an excellent choice for the job."
Zig Ziglar,
Chairman of Ziglar.com,
Longtime friend of Davis
"North Carolina is extremely fortunate to have a man like Coach Davis in
its corner. He is above and beyond a players' coach. He's a family coach. He
helped me so much both on and off the field in preparation for my NFL days,
and I will forever be grateful. I'd keep an eye out on their program for
years to come because the man is special and he's going to make many happy."
Reggie Wayne,
Wide Receiver, Indianapolis Colts
"I would have to say from what I can remember and going on my
experiences now is that Coach Davis does everything he can to run his
operation and prepare his players for success at the highest level possible.
He prepares his players and his team as if it were a professional program.
His players will be well-equipped for the NFL level because he puts his
players in a position to succeed on the college level like it were a pro
team. He runs a program like no other, when guys come in as 19-year olds or
whatever the case may be, he molds them into men as players and as people.
He gets his players focused on the important things within the team and
school and has the respect of his players for them to act the right way."
Santana Moss,
Wide Receiver, Washington Redskins
"Coach Davis is really good with players. I think he will build a really
nice program there."
Edgerrin James,
Running Back, Arizona Cardinals
"From the first time I met Butch Davis when he recruited me to play for
The U, I was impressed with his intensity and his knowledge of the game.
There was no doubt in my mind after I met him that I wanted to play for him.
Coach Davis is a master motivator, and I know he will do great things at the
University of North Carolina."
Kellen Winslow,
Tight End, Cleveland Browns
"Butch Davis was a great mentor to me, and I owe much of my collegiate
success to what I learned from him. The University of North Carolina is
fortunate to have a coach like Butch Davis leading the program."
Ken Dorsey,
Quarterback, Cleveland Browns
"He's definitely a coach that's not going to be easy on you. He's a guy
that's going to come in and weed out the tough players from the weak
players. ... He's a great motivator and a great coach to play under."
Dan Morgan,
Linebacker, Carolina Panthers
"Coach Davis came in and changed the entire UM program around. He
brought us from a probation team to a championship team. I credit him with
that completely. He instilled discipline, was a great coach and defensive
mind. He knows how to get players to do their jobs. He also makes sure
players are doing what they need to do academically as well. When it comes
time to play, his players will do anything to make plays for him."
Mike Rumph,
Defensive Back, Washington Redskins
"Butch Davis is going to do a great job for them. He recruited me my
freshman year at Miami. His coaching style is great; he'll really develop
the young kids. I think he's going to do well."
Jonathan Vilma,
Linebacker, New York Jets
"He's a good guy. His office door is always open if guys need to go up
there to talk to him. Whether it's about football or a personal issue, he's
a guy that is going to open his door to you and be honest with you. He's
more like a father figure."
Damione Lewis,
Defensive Tackle, Carolina Panthers
"He's a great coach. He lets you play. He gives you detailed
instructions on what he wants done and then he lets you play. That's how we
beat so many people. We were out there playing football. There wasn't any
pressure. He reminds me of (Coach Cowher) a little bit. He's a good person.
Najeh Davenport,
Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers
"Coach Davis is an excellent coach. I think he is going to do a
tremendous job turning that program around, with him being a great
recruiter. The way he turned the program around at UM shows he can do it. He
recruited good guys there so I think he will probably do the same thing at
North Carolina. He recruited me and was able to bring in a lot of good
players down there."
Vernon Carey,
Offensive Lineman, Miami Dolphins
"I think he was a good coach, a great recruiter and he'll do a good job
at North Carolina. I think he'll be able to get some good recruits in there
and help turn that program around. He had a great recruiting class and that
set us up to go to the national championship game my senior year."
Bryant McKinnie,
Offensive Lineman, Minnesota Vikings
"Butch Davis is a family person who cares about his staff and players. He's a tremendous recruiter and one of the most organized people I know. He has a plan for everything. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the best CEO any football program could wish to have."
Pete Garcia,
Athletic Director, Florida International
Worked with Davis at Miami
