Jan. 4, 2011
Bo Davis, the defensive line coach at Alabama, has joined the Texas coaching staff as defensive tackles coach, Head Coach Mack Brown announced Tuesday. He has spent eight of the last nine years as a member of Nick Saban's staffs at Alabama, LSU and with the Miami Dolphins.
"This is a great opportunity for me and my family," Davis said. "Having coached at North Shore High School with David Aymond, recruiting in Texas for much of my career and with my wife being from Houston, it's kind of like coming home. When Coach Brown contacted me, I thought it was a great opportunity and one I just needed to take advantage of."
Davis comes to Texas after spending four seasons with the Crimson Tide as defensive line coach where he was a part of defenses that consistently led the Southeastern Conference and ranked in the Top 10 in the nation of most of the major statistical categories.
"We're really excited that Bo decided to join our staff," Brown said. "He is a tremendous young coach who brings energy, enthusiasm and toughness to our program. His players have had a great deal of success, and he has been a part of some of the best defenses and teams in the nation throughout his career. On top of that, Bo is very familiar with this state having coached Cory Redding and working with David Aymond at North Shore High School for several years. He's a tremendous recruiter who has spent a lot of time recruiting in Texas, so he can really hit the ground running."
Alabama posted a record of 42-10 (.808) during Davis' four-year stretch, including a mark of 35-4 (.897) in the last three seasons. The Tide also won three of its four bowls in that span and the 2009 BCS National Championship.
"Having worked with Coach Saban and learning so much from him, I thought it was another great opportunity to work with Coach Brown," Davis said. "He's a guy I've really respected and enjoyed getting to know. He and Coach Saban are legends in this sport. Just to have the chance to work with coaches like that is something any coach in America would want to experience."
Alabama has finished in the top 10 in both of the last two seasons, ranking No. 1 in 2009 and No. 6 in 2008, and entered the 2010 bowl season ranked No. 15 with a probable rise from that position following a 49-7 win over No. 7 Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl.
"It's tremendous to be able to come to a place like The University of Texas, which, like Alabama, has such a rich history," Davis said. "I owe all of the credit for this opportunity to Nick Saban. I've been with him for eight years and he's a phenomenal man. I've learned so much from him and really appreciate the opportunity I had to work with him."
"Bo was really fortunate to have Nick Saban as a mentor for most of his career," Brown said. "I've known and respected Nick for a long time and any time you can hire a coach who has had the opportunity to learn from him, you're getting a great football coach. Nick spoke very highly of Bo, and we're thrilled to have him at Texas."
In 2010, Davis helped guide a defense that ranked fourth in the nation in scoring defense (13.5 ppg), fifth in total defense (286.4 ypg), ninth in rushing defense (110.2 ypg) and seventh in pass efficiency defense (103.5), while leading the SEC in all four categories. Under Davis, defensive lineman Marcell Dareus earned second-team All-America and first-team All-SEC honors.
Davis' 2009 defensive line was again key in setting the tone for a defense that ranked second nationally and led the SEC in the same four categories - rushing defense (78.1 ypg), pass efficiency defense (87.7), total defense (244.1) and scoring defense (11.7 ppg). Nose guard Terrence Cody earned consensus All-America honors for the second straight season and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award. Lorenzo Washington and Brandon Deaderick anchored the defensive end positions while Dareus emerged as a pass-rusher and led the team with 6.5 sacks.
"We wish Bo Davis and his family the best at The University of Texas," said Alabama Coach Nick Saban. "We've had the chance to work together at LSU, in Miami with the Dolphins, and here at Alabama, and Bo has done a great job with every responsibility he's had. I'm sure he will do the same for Mack Brown and the program at Texas."
In 2008, Alabama ranked second nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 74.1 yards per game on the ground. UA also ranked third in the country in total defense (263.5 ypg) and seventh in scoring defense (14.3 ppg). Davis added Cody to the starting lineup at nose guard and the junior was named All-America in his first season.
Under Davis' watch in 2007, senior defensive end Wallace Gilberry put together one of the finest seasons by an end in Alabama history. Gilberry earned first team All-SEC status, leading the league in tackles for loss (27) and finishing second in sacks (10).
Davis joined the Crimson Tide staff after serving the 2006 season as an assistant defensive line coach and assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Miami Dolphins under Nick Saban.
Prior to his stint with the Dolphins, Davis spent four years (2002-05) as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at LSU under Saban and current Tigers head coach Les Miles. LSU went to four straight bowls in that span, winning two of them, including the 2004 Sugar Bowl for the 2003 National Championship, while posting a 41-11 (.788) record.
Davis joined the LSU strength and conditioning staff as assistant coordinator in June 2002. He came to the Tigers from North Shore High School in Galena Park, Texas, where he served as an assistant coach from 1997-2002 where he coached former Longhorns All-American and current Baltimore Ravens DT Cory Redding.
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"Bo is a cool guy," Redding said. "He is a really good guy and good coach. He came to us at North Shore after being at LSU and did a great job coaching us up on the defensive line. I'm really happy for him and Texas because he's a great addition to the Longhorns program."
Davis earned second team All-SEC honors as a senior nose guard at LSU in 1992 after starting all 11 games, recording 66 tackles, including four tackles for loss. He lettered for the Tigers from 1990-92 and finished his college career with 90 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery.
A native of Magee, Miss., Davis graduated from LSU in 1993 and then served as a graduate assistant with the LSU strength and conditioning program from 1995-1997.
Davis and his wife, Omeika, have two sons, Beau and Jackson, and a daughter, Juliana.
