Butch Davis not returning to FIU in 2022: School is 'sabotaging the program'

Florida International coach Butch Davis will not return to the Panthers in 2022, and he is throwing some serious shade at the school on his way out the door.

It is unclear if Davis, who has coached the Panthers since 2017, will coach FIU's final two games of the season. The school posted an online search for the head-coaching position last month even though Davis' contract doesn't expire until Dec. 15, and he initially wanted a contract extension.

"This year has been a nightmare," Davis told Action Network. "You can imagine the players' reaction when a head coach's job was posted online."

The job posting isn't the only thing Davis has a problem with. The veteran coach, who turns 70 this week, said that FIU is using outdated equipment and uniforms and has long refused to offer multi-year contracts to assistant coaches, making it difficult for Davis to put a staff together. 

Additionally, the coaches haven't been able to do any road recruiting for the last two years — in part because of the pandemic but also due to financial restraints. 

Posting about Davis' job opening up while he is still there has only made things worse, Davis said.

"The administration has been sabotaging the program," he continued. "Their decision to post the job has resulted in a major negative impact on the football program and our ability to recruit and retain players."

It's an unfortunate end for Davis' tenure at FIU given how he turned the team around upon arrival in 2017. The Panthers went 23-16 over his first three seasons, marking the best three-year stretch in the team's history. 

Injuries and the apparent financial constraints have hit the team hard over the last couple of seasons, however, and the Panthers were winless in 2020. Davis is 1-9 on the current season with a 24-30 overall record at FIU.