Iowa offensive coordinator Greg Davis retires from football

IOWA CITY — After five seasons of offenses that were largely efficient but rarely explosive, offensive coordinator Greg Davis, 65, announced his retirement from the University of Iowa on Friday.

During the lead up to the Outback Bowl, Davis was asked about his thoughts on retiring.

'I think everyone would like to win the national championship, be 85-years-old, get your cane and walk off the field,' Davis said. 'You know, it doesn't work that way.'

He added: 'I haven't thought about it too much.'

In a statement, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said, 'I cannot thank Greg Davis enough for what he has meant to Iowa football these past five seasons. Greg possesses a great football mind, and he brought a perspective and expertise to our program that made every one of our coaches and players better.

'Greg's coaching career spanned five decades, from high school to the biggest stage in college football — and each day he exemplified passion for the game while instilling character in his players. That is 'love for the game' and without Greg, there's a little less of that in football today.

'Greg will be the first to admit he owes so much of his coaching success to his wife, Patsy. They were a wonderful team in Iowa City and all of us with the Iowa football program wish them the very best.'

Ferentz will have a news conference 1:30 on Monday. Iowa now has an opening for offensive coordinator, just the third in Ferentz's going on 19 seasons as head coach.

Up Next: 3 possibilities for Iowa offensive coordinator 

Davis, who wasn't under contract for next season, said in the statement: 'I have had a wonderful five years with the Hawkeye football program. I would like to thank coach Ferentz, the entire staff, our players, and Iowa fans everywhere. Patsy and I have enjoyed our time in Iowa, and not just the football part of it. The people of Iowa City and Hawkeye fans have been great. While we have our home in Dallas, there is no doubt we will be Hawkeye fans forever.

'This is my decision, but not a decision that was reached lightly. I remain passionate about the game of football, and enjoyed teaching football to our players every day. Patsy has been a trooper through all these years; we have learned and enjoyed every step along the way. It's time for me to get closer to our family.

'I'm not sure the people of Iowa realize how special Kirk Ferentz is, and I am not talking about just the football part of the equation. The men who leave this program are prepared for life, for careers, to be great husbands and fathers. Kirk is the total package for what anyone would want in a head coach."

With Davis on staff, the Hawkeyes won 39 games over the past five seasons, including a combined 20 wins over the past two years. The Hawkeyes appeared in four January bowl games, including the 2016 Rose Bowl Game. The Hawkeyes won the Big Ten's West Division in 2015 while posting a school-record 12 wins.

There were other highs. Iowa finished fifth in total offense in the Big Ten during the 2015 season, when Iowa swept the Big Ten West and made it to the Rose Bowl. That was the high as far as numbers go.

The low was last Monday.

Iowa's passing offense crash landed in Tampa, Fla., with quarterback C.J. Beathard being limited to 7 of 23 for 55 yards and three interceptions during a 30-3 defeat in the Outback Bowl. His pass efficiency of 23.4 was the lowest of his career and the lowest of all quarterbacks in bowl games.

A lot went wrong with Iowa's offense for that number to happen, yes, but the trend slides down in other numbers: The Hawkeyes finished 12th in total offense this season, 13th in passing offense and 10th in scoring.

After the disaster in the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl, offensive line coach Brian Ferentz was named run game coordinator, so the passing side of things clearly were on Davis' plate.

The Hawkeyes finished 114th in the nation in completions per game (13.5) and 108th in yards per completion (11.1).

For many reasons, mostly a deficit in recruiting and developing wide receivers, Davis' ideas never fully found footing at Iowa. The passing game never meshed with the zone blocking, power run game head coach Kirk Ferentz has employed at Iowa since day one 18 years ago.

And so Davis assumed a familiar role at Iowa, that of the 'lightning rod.' He heard it at Texas, including that time in 2010 when Texas fans raised a reported $1,300 to have an air plane fly a banner that read 'Greg Davis is not our standard' flown around the Longhorns' stadium before the Baylor game.

He knew it was part of the territory.

'We're coming back from the national championship game in '05, and Darrell Royal (legendary Texas coach, winner of two national titles) is sitting in the aisle across from me,' Davis said last week. 'We obviously don't sleep much that night. I'd been in and out of sleep. The guy comes on and says, 'Get your seat backs up, we're making final approach to Austin.' I raise up and coach Royal looks over.

'He said, 'Boy, you checked the last thing off the list.' I said, 'What are you talking about, coach?' He said, 'When you come here they give you a list. You checked the last thing off the list last night.' I said, 'Oh, thank you, coach.'

'And he said, 'When this plane lands they're going to give you another list.''

This was the last five years of a 43-year coaching career. The highs are the highest, including a national championship at Texas in 2005, and a ton of legendary college players will be calling Davis to congratulate him on his career.

Under his guidance, the Texas offense produced 10 of the top 11 passing seasons, 11 of the top 13 total offense campaigns and the top nine scoring years in school history. Texas averaged 39.0 points per game from 2000-09, which ranked second nationally and first among BCS conference schools. In 2005, Texas set a then-NCAA record with 652 total points and a school record by averaging 50.2 ppg

Under Davis, five Longhorns were named Big 12 offensive players of the year, including RB Ricky Williams, 1998; QB Major Applewhite, 1999; QB Vince Young, 2005; QB Colt McCoy, 2008 and 2009.

At Texas, Davis tutored three finalists for the Heisman Trophy, including two players who were second in Heisman voting, two winners each of the Walter Camp Football Foundation players of the year, Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Manning Award and Archie Griffin Award. He tutored a winner of the Unitas Golden Arm Award, a Sporting News Player of the Year and Chevrolet offensive player of the year.

Davis was the head coach at Tulane for four seasons (1988-91) where he was 14-31. He spent three seasons (1985-87) as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach at Tulane under his successor Mack Brown. Davis spent two seasons (1992-93) as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas and two years (1994-95) as Georgia's passing game coordinator before joining Brown at North Carolina.

Davis began his college coaching career at Texas A&M, serving as the Aggies' quarterbacks coach (1978-84). He then joined Brown as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach at Tulane in 1985.

Davis began his career in the high school ranks while working toward his master's degree. He coached at Barbe High School (Lake Charles, La.) from 1973-74 and Port Neches-Groves High School (Port Neches, Texas) from 1975-77, where he helped lead the Indians to the 1975 Texas 4A state title.

The native of Groves, Texas, Davis and his wife, Patsy, have two children, Greg Jr. and Stacey, and five grandchildren. Greg Jr. and his wife, Karen, have two daughters, Taylor and Kaylen. Stacey and her husband, Kory, have three children, a daughter, Brook, and two sons, K.J. and Davis.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com