Billy Davis (American football)

Infobox NFL PlayerCoach


Name=Billy Davis
|Color=#990000
fontcolor=#FFFFFF
DateOfBirth=Birth date and age|1965|11|5
Birthplace=Youngstown, Ohio
College=Cincinnati
Position=Linebackers
Awards=
Honors=
Records=
Record=
SuperBowls=
Championships=
Stats=Y
DatabaseFootballCoach=
PFRCoach=
coach=yes
coachingyears=1991

1992-1994

1995-1998

1999

2000


2001-2003

2004

2005-2006

2007-"Present"
coachingteams=Michigan State
(graduate assistant)
Pittsburgh Steelers
(defensive assistant)
Carolina Panthers
(outside linebackers)
Cleveland Browns
(defensive assistant/linebackers)
Green Bay Packers
(defensive assistant/defensive line)
Atlanta Falcons
(linebackers coach)
New York Giants
(linebackers coach)
San Francisco 49ers
(defensive coordinator)
Arizona Cardinals
(linebackers coach)

Billy Davis Jr. (born November 5, 1965 in Youngstown, Ohio) is an American football coach in the NFL. He currently serves as the linebackers coach for the Arizona Cardinals. He was the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers from 2005 to 2007.

Early life

Bill Davis Jr. was born on November 5, 1965 in Youngstown, Ohio. Arizona Cardinals. [http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=161 Bill Davis] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.] His father, Bill Davis Sr. coached in the NFL for 13 years, included the six years he was the Cleveland Browns’ director of player personnel. Arizona Cardinals. [http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=161 Bill Davis] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.] As a kid, Davis was hired to be a ball boy for Dick Vermeil in Philadelphia and Don Shula in Miami. Arizona Cardinals. [http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=161 Bill Davis] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.]

College Years

Davis attended the University of Cincinnati and was a quarterback and wide receiver on the football team from 1985 to 1988. Arizona Cardinals. [http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=161 Bill Davis] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.] USA Today. [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/niners/2005-02-06-davis-coordinator_x.htm Niners hire Billy Davis as defensive coordinator] Retrieved on 2008-03-26.]

Coaching career

Michigan State graduate assistant

Davis began his football coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Michigan State Spartans. Arizona Cardinals. [http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=161 Bill Davis] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.]

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive assistant

In 1992, Davis entered the NFL as the defensive assistant for the Pittsburgh Steelers. For most of his football career, Davis had played and coached on the offensive side of the ball, but under head coach Bill Cowher, Davis coached the Pittsburgh defense for three years. Arizona Cardinals. [http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=161 Bill Davis] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.]

Carolina Panthers outside linebackers coach

In 1995, under coach Dom Capers, Davis spent four years with the newly created Carolina Panthers. In his second year with Carolina, linebacker Kevin Greene finished first in the NFL in sacks with 14.5, and Lamar Lathon finished second in the NFL in with sacks with 13.5. Both linebackers went to the Pro Bowl that year. Arizona Cardinals. [http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=161 Bill Davis] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.]

Cleveland Browns defensive assistant/linebackers coach

In 1999, Davis spent a year as a defensive assistant and linebackers coach with the Cleveland Browns. Arizona Cardinals. [http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=161 Bill Davis] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.]

Green Bay Packers defensive assistant/defensive line coach

In 2000, Davis went the Green Bay Packers were he spent the year as a defensive assistant and line coach. Arizona Cardinals. [http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=161 Bill Davis] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.]

Atlanta Falcons linebackers coach

Davis the went to the Atlanta Falcons in 2001, were he spent the next three seasons as the linebackers coach under Dan Reeves. Davis helped then defensive coordinator Wade Phillips implement his new 3-4 defense. During Davis' three years at Atlanta, linebacker Keith Brooking went to the Pro Bowl each year. Arizona Cardinals. [http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=161 Bill Davis] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.]

New York Giants linebackers coach

Davis was the New York Giants linebackers coach in 2004. According to defensive coordinator Tim Lewis, Billy commanded the room whenever speaking to players and compiled blitz packages, a job usually done by the defensive coordinator. SFGate. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/07/49ERS.TMP 49ers hire Davis as defensive coordinator.] Retrieved on 2008-03-26.]

an Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator

On February 6, 2005, Billy Davis was hired by San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Nolan to be the defensive coordinator on the team after a six hour interview. USA Today. [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/niners/2005-02-06-davis-coordinator_x.htm Niners hire Billy Davis as defensive coordinator] Retrieved on 2008-03-26.] Press Democrat. [http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/default.asp?item=414665 Billy Davis fired as defensive coordinator.] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.] One of the reasons Davis got the job was because he had experience with the 3-4 defense that Coach Nolan wanted to implement in San Francisco's defense and a recommendation Nolan got from New York Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis. USA Today. [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/niners/2005-02-06-davis-coordinator_x.htm Niners hire Billy Davis as defensive coordinator] Retrieved on 2008-03-26.] SFGate. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/07/49ERS.TMP 49ers hire Davis as defensive coordinator.] Retrieved on 2008-03-26.] Nolan said in a press conference that day that "It was very important to find somebody that had experience in the 4-3 and the 3-4". USA Today. [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/niners/2005-02-06-davis-coordinator_x.htm Niners hire Billy Davis as defensive coordinator] Retrieved on 2008-03-26.]

2005 Season

However, Davis seemed to have difficulty improving the defense. In his first season as the 49ers defensive coordinator, the team ranked last in the NFL in total defense in 2005, averaging 25.8 points a game, a 44.4 % third-down efficiency, and allowing 428 points that season. 49ers Web Zone. [http://www.49erswebzone.com/content/commentary/view.php?id=527 Fielding a defense.] Retrieved on 2008-03-26.] USA Today. [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/niners/2007-01-03-defensive-shakeup_x.htm Niners fire defensive coordinator Davis, line coach Emanuel.] Retrieved on 2008-03-27.]

2006 Season

In 2006, Davis' defense was ranked 26th in the NFL. Press Democrat. [http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/default.asp?item=414665 Billy Davis fired as defensive coordinator.] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.] Monte Poole of the Oakland Tribune criticized Davis in October, saying "the defensive coordinator Billy Davis, who drifts between the 4-3 scheme and the 3-4 scheme, not only has been incapable of masking these deficiencies but also seems to find ways to accentuate them." Oakland Tribune. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20061016/ai_n16781396 49ers coach Davis has to go Woeful 49ers 'D' means coach Davis has.] Retrieved on 2008-03-26.]

As soon as early November, rumors began to swirl that Davis could be fired at the end of the season, if not earlier. RealFootball365. [http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/17424.html Singletary should be 49ers' next defensive coordinator.] Retrieved on 2008-03-27.]

Although the second half of the season saw strong performances from cornerback Walt Harris and linebacker Brandon Moore, by the end of the season, the 49ers defense had allowed 412 points in 16 games. USA Today. [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/niners/2007-01-03-defensive-shakeup_x.htm Niners fire defensive coordinator Davis, line coach Emanuel.] Retrieved on 2008-03-27.]

On January 3, 2007, Nolan announced the Davis had been fired stating that "After an evaluation period, we felt this was the right time to make this move". Press Democrat. [http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/default.asp?item=414665 Billy Davis fired as defensive coordinator.] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.] He was replaced by San Diego Chargers linebackers coach Greg Manusky. ESPN. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2750684 Niners name Manusky defensive coordinator.] Retrieved on 2008-03-26.]

Arizona Cardinals linebackers coach

On January 19, 2007, just 15 days after he was fired from the 49ers, Davis was hired as the linebackers coach for the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona Cardinals. [http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=161 Bill Davis] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.]

Personal

Bill Davis lives with his wife, Sherry, and four daughters, Monica, Brooke, Grace, and Ava (the latter two are twins). Arizona Cardinals. [http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=161 Bill Davis] Retrieved on 2008-03-25.]

External links

* [http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=161 Arizona Cardinals profile]

References