Bob Davie (American football) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bob Davie

Davie at 2016 Mountain West Media Days
Biographical details
Born	(1954-09-30) September 30, 1954 (age 70) Sewickley, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Playing career
1973–1975	Youngstown State
Position(s)	Tight end
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1977	Pittsburgh (GA)
1978–1979	Arizona (LB)
1980–1982	Pittsburgh (LB)
1983–1984	Tulane (DC)
1985–1988	Texas A&M (OLB)
1989–1993	Texas A&M (DC)
1994–1996	Notre Dame (DC)
1997–2001	Notre Dame
2012–2019	New Mexico
Head coaching record
Overall	70–89
Bowls	1–4
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 MW Mountain Division (2016)

Robert "Bob" Edwin Davie Jr. (born September 30, 1954) is a former American college football coach and player. He was the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame from 1997 to 2001. Later, he coached the University of New Mexico team from 2012 to 2019. Before returning to coaching, Davie also worked as a college football expert for ESPN.

Early Life and College Years

Bob Davie was born in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. When he was a student at Moon Area High School, he was great at sports. He earned special recognition three times in football, baseball, and basketball. In his senior year, he was the captain of both the football and basketball teams.

Davie first received a football scholarship to attend the University of Arizona. However, after only two weeks, he missed home and went back to Pennsylvania. He then enrolled at Youngstown State University. There, he played as a starting tight end for three years.

Becoming a Coach

After graduating from Youngstown State in 1977, Davie started his coaching career. He became a graduate assistant for the University of Pittsburgh football team. He worked under head coach Jackie Sherrill.

Davie then spent two years as an assistant coach at the University of Arizona. He returned to the University of Pittsburgh for three seasons (1980–1982). Next, he moved to Tulane as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach from 1983 to 1984.

From 1985 to 1988, Davie coached outside linebackers at Texas A&M University. He then became the school's defensive coordinator from 1989 to 1993. During his time at Texas A&M, he helped make their defense, known as the "Wrecking Crew," very strong. In 1991, their defense was ranked number one in the country.

In 1994, Lou Holtz, the head coach at the University of Notre Dame, offered Davie a job. He wanted Davie to be his defensive coordinator. Davie first turned down the offer twice. But after talking with his wife, he decided to join Holtz's team. Under Davie, Notre Dame's defense got much better. In 1996, the team set a school record for sacks. They also allowed the fewest total yards since 1980. In September 1995, Davie even stepped in as interim head coach. This happened when Holtz had to miss a game for surgery. Under Davie, Notre Dame won against Vanderbilt with a score of 41–0.

Leading the Teams

At Notre Dame

In November 1996, Lou Holtz retired from Notre Dame. Bob Davie was one of the coaches interviewed for the head coach position. He was also offered a job at Purdue University. However, he chose to become the next head coach at Notre Dame. He was the first assistant coach to become head coach at Notre Dame since 1954.

Some fans were not very happy about Davie's promotion. A disagreement with a former coach also led to a legal case, which caused some unhappiness among fans. During his time, the team also faced some penalties from the NCAA (the main college sports organization) due to actions of a supporter from before his time.

In his five seasons at Notre Dame, Davie's team had a record of 35 wins and 25 losses. They played in three bowl games. The most notable was the 2001 Fiesta Bowl, where they lost to Oregon State. This was the first time Notre Dame played in a Bowl Championship Series game. His last season also brought a special award. The Notre Dame football team had a 100% graduation rate, earning the AFCA Academic Achievement Award.

Notre Dame's performance under Davie was not always the same each year. In 1997, they started 2–5 but finished with 7 wins and 6 losses. In 1998, they had a strong 9–1 record. But a tough loss in their final game against USC, where their quarterback Jarious Jackson got hurt, led to a 9–3 finish. They then lost in the Gator Bowl. The 1999 season was tougher, with a 5–7 record. This made some people question Davie's coaching.

Bob Davie in 2009.

In 2000, the team bounced back and finished 9–3 again. The new athletic director gave Davie a five-year contract extension. But soon after, his team lost in the Fiesta Bowl. The next season, 2001, started with Notre Dame's first-ever 0–3 record. They won their next three games, but more losses followed. They finished the season with 5 wins and 6 losses. Davie was fired on December 2, 2001, after a win against Purdue.

At New Mexico

On November 16, 2011, Davie was hired as the new football coach at New Mexico. Under Davie, the Lobos won the 2016 Mountain West Conference Mountain Division championship. In February 2018, he faced a temporary suspension related to how certain team issues were managed.

After the first game of the 2019 season, Davie was hospitalized for heart problems. This meant he had to miss the post-game press conference. Another coach, Saga Tuitele, stepped in as interim head coach for the next game. On November 25, 2019, it was announced that Davie and New Mexico had decided to go their separate ways.

After Coaching

Between his head coaching jobs at Notre Dame and New Mexico, Bob Davie worked as a college football analyst for ESPN. He shared his knowledge and opinions about college football games.

Family Life

Bob Davie is married to Joanne Fratangelo. They have two children, Audra and Clay. Their son, Clay Davie, also played football at Arizona State University.

Coaching Records