The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Defensive Line
A former assistant coach at Texas, Alabama and in the NFL who has been a part of three national championship teams, Bo Davis was named defensive line coach for the Longhorns on January 22, 2021.
Davis previously coached in Austin from 2011-13 as the defensive tackles coach under head coach Mack Brown, but returns after spending two years at Alabama (2014-15), one year with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2016), one year at UTSA (2017) and the last three with the Detroit Lions (2018-20).
The Longhorn defensive line was among the most dominant in the nation in 2023. Highlighted by the performance of Outland Trophy winner and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year T’Vondre Sweat and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year Byron Murphy II, Texas held opponents to 82.4 rushing yards per game (3rd NCAA), including eight games of fewer than 100 yards rushing, while ranking second in the nation in third-down defense (26.6 percent) and seventh in red zone defense (73.8 percent).
In 2022, the Texas defensive line featured a pair of All-Big 12 Conference performers in second-teamers Keondre Coburn and Moro Ojomo. The Longhorn defense allowed 125.7 rushing yards per game, the second-fewest in the Big 12 Conference, and tallied 6.7 tackles for loss per game to rank 29th in the nation.
In Davis’ first year back on the Forty Acres in 2021, Ovie Oghoufo earned honorable mention Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year honors after tallying 42 tackles (21 solo) and 5.5 tackles for loss, while Byron Murphy II netted honorable mention Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, and Keondre Coburn and Moro Ojomo garnered honorable mention All-Big 12 honors.
During his three seasons in Detroit, Davis guided a defensive line that helped the Lions rank in the top half of the NFL in sacks and rushing yards allowed per carry in each of those years. It was his third time as a staff member in the league after serving as a defensive intern with the Jaguars, and as an assistant defensive line coach and assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Miami Dolphins in 2006.
In one season at UTSA in 2017, Davis was part of a defense that ranked fifth nationally in total defense (287.8 ypg), eighth in scoring defense (17.0 ppg), second in passing defense (160.1 ypg) and 22nd in rushing defense (127.7 ypg). Defensive end Marcus Davenport was chosen as the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year earned first-team All-CUSA honors, while DT Kevin Strong was named to the second team. A member of the Chuck Bednarik Award and Wuerffel Trohpy watch lists, Davenport set school records with 17.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and eight quarterback hurries, while ranking 10th nationally in TFL per game (1.5) and 14th in sacks per game (0.77). He became the first Roadrunner to be invited to the Senior Bowl and just the second participate in the NFL Combine. The New Orleans Saints traded up to the 14th overall pick to select Davenport and he has made 14 starts in three seasons.
In 2014-15, Davis served his second stint as the defensive line coach at Alabama under Nick Saban after working in the same position for four seasons from 2007-10. In those two seasons, Alabama appeared in back-to-back College Football Playoffs, winning the 2015 national title with a 45-40 victory against Clemson after falling to Ohio State in the semifinals the previous year. The Tide posted a 26-3 record during his last tenure and were 68-13 overall during his six total seasons in Tuscaloosa. Including his time with the Miami Dolphins and at LSU (2002-05), Davis has spent 10 seasons on Saban-led coaching staffs.
Alabama led the country in 2015 by allowing just 75.7 yards per game on the ground, while ranking third nationally in sacks with 3.53 per contest. The Crimson Tide also ranked third in both total defense (276.3 ypg) and scoring defense (15.1 ppg).
Davis' defensive line that season was led by Jarran Reed, A’Shawn Robinson and Jonathan Allen. Robinson was a first-team All-American and an Outland Trophy finalist after posting 46 tackles with 7.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups and a team-high 10 quarterback hurries. Allen registered 36 tackles, including 14.5 TFLs and 12 sacks, and Reed recorded 57 tackles with 4.5 for loss, eight quarterback hurries and two pass breakups, as both earned All-SEC accolades. Reed and Robinson went on to be selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions, respectively, while Allen was chosen 17th overall in 2017 by the current Washington Football Team.
The previous season, Davis's position group helped the Alabama defense rank fourth nationally against the rush, surrendering just 102.4 yards per game. The Crimson Tide also led the nation by allowing just five rushing touchdowns for the season, while recording 32 sacks. Allen was named first-team All-SEC, while Robinson was a second-team all-conference selection and Reed earned honorable mention honors.
Prior to that, Davis was the defensive tackles coach at Texas for three seasons. In 2013, he guided a tackles unit that was led by senior Chris Whaley, who became the first defensive tackle in school history to score two defensive TDs in the same season. Prior to an injury, Whaley paired with Malcom Brown to start the first nine games of the year. That season, Brown was third on the team with 12.0 TFL, while Whaley and Desmond Jackson each had five. The group was instrumental in a Texas run defense that gave up just 137.6 yards per game on the ground in conference play.
Davis rotated five players at his defensive tackle positions in 2012. Jackson, Whaley, Brandon Moore and Ashton Dorsey manned the middle of the defensive line, along with Brown. The group accounted for 31 tackles for loss. Moore went on to sign a free agent contract with the San Diego Chargers. The tackles helped the defense improve throughout the season as it surrendered just 324.8 yards over the final six games, a drop of more than 140 yards from the first seven contests.
Davis helped the defense lead the Big 12 in total defense (11th NCAA), rushing defense (sixth NCAA), pass efficiency defense (10th NCAA) and pass defense in his first season. The defensive tackles group was led by first-team All-Big 12 selection Kheeston Randall who was key to stopping the run inside while recording five tackles for loss, one sack and eight quarterback pressures. Randall went on to be selected by the Miami Dolphins in the 2012 NFL Draft. As a group the defensive tackles tallied 17 tackles for loss, six sacks and 21 pressures.
Davis came 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 SEC and ranked in the Top 10 in the nation in most of the major statistical categories.
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 BCS National Championship in 2009.
The Crimson Tide finished in the top 10 in each of the last three seasons, ranking No. 10 in 2010 following a 49-7 win over No. 7 Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl, No. 1 in 2009 and No. 6 in 2008.
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.
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 and coached former Longhorns All-American and former Baltimore Ravens DT Cory Redding.
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.
