new bo davis article

[aubiefifty 16,778]

al.com

 

Bo Davis speaks publicly for first time about Alabama departure, NCAA investigation

Matt Zenitz | mzenitz@al.com

Bo Davis was walking into his trucking company's Birmingham office in October when a fellow truck driver recognized him.

"You're Bo Davis, right?" the other driver said.

"Nah, I'm not," Davis, the former Alabama defensive line coach, responded, "There's a guy that's named Bo Davis, and everyone says I look like him, but I'm not him."

The driver, a football fan, knew that wasn't true.

"Nah, man. You can't bull**** me. I know who you are," he said, smiling.

Recently, the two bumped into each other again outside the company office.

"What are you still doing out here?" the man asked Davis. "I didn't think I'd see you out here anymore. We figured you'd already be back coaching again."

"Nope," Davis said. "Still here."

 

Hasn't former Alabama assistant coach Bo Davis suffered enough?

He broke the NCAA's bump rule and didn't tell the truth about it. He was forced to resign and spend a year away from football. How long before he's paid his debt in full?

 

Less than a year ago, Davis was arguably the top defensive line coach in college football and was fresh off helping the Tide win a national championship. Now, he's relegated to working as a truck driver while continuing to deal with the fallout of an NCAA investigation that led to his departure from Alabama last April.

Eight months later, Davis' career and life remain in limbo as he continues to wait for the NCAA to make a ruling on his case.

The 46-year old has gone from making $475,000 as Alabama's defensive line coach to working a job that typically pays $18 an hour and $50,000 per year.

'I was numb'

Davis was called into Alabama athletic director Bill Battle's office last April 27, two days after the second of Davis' three meetings with the NCAA.

Davis wasn't expecting to be fired, so it was shocking when Battle said to him: Based on the information we have, we have to either fire you or you can resign.

"At that time, I was just in a mind shock," Davis told AL.com in his first public comments since leaving Alabama. "I was numb. I vaguely remember bits and pieces of the day after that because I was just totally out of it after that, kind of like, 'What the hell just happened here?'"

The alleged violations weren't outrageous -- impermissible contact with recruits during a meeting that was allegedly pre-arranged. A different SEC coach received a one-game suspension in 2015 for impermissible contact. What made this more serious for Davis is he wasn't forthcoming with information during his first two meetings with the NCAA.

According to AL.com sources, it all stems from a meeting that took place on Dec. 11, 2014 at Episcopal High School in Texas.

The NCAA believes Davis pre-arranged a visit with then-sophomores Marvin Wilson, Walker Little and Jhamon Ausbon and junior Giovanni Pancotti, at least 18 months before coaches were allowed to have off-campus visits with sophomores and at least six months before coaches were allowed to have such contact with juniors.

The investigation began in May 2015 after the NCAA received a tip about Davis meeting with the four players, a visit that was allegedly set up by someone close to the Alabama program.

During an interview with the NCAA, Episcopal coach Steve Leisz said that person close to the Tide program contacted him about pulling the four players out of class. That person was later present as Davis met with the players for approximately 20 minutes, according to Leisz.

 

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The NCAA met with Davis for the first time in September 2015. In a room with Alabama and NCAA officials, Davis said his only visit to Episcopal was in May and denied interacting with the players and seeing the person who allegedly arranged the meeting.

The NCAA met with Davis again last April 25 after interviewing two of the four players involved in the alleged visit, Ausbon and Pancotti.

Davis shared with investigators that he realized after reviewing his recruiting notes that he did in fact visit the school in December, though he denied again meeting with the players or seeing the person who allegedly pre-arranged the meeting.

It wasn't until the third meeting with the NCAA a week after leaving Alabama that an emotional Davis admitted seeing the players that day as well as the person who allegedly arranged the meeting, though he denied again that the visit with the players was set up in advance.

Davis told investigators that Leisz set up the meeting with the players and allegedly told Davis: "Hey, I've got some younger kids I want you to meet." When Davis responded "You know I can't do that," Leisz allegedly answered, "Who's going to know?"

According to what Davis' side told the NCAA, the coach then led Davis to a room with the four players for a meeting that Davis' side said consisted of Davis simply introducing himself to the players.

"I think about it all the time and wish I handled it differently," said Davis, who declined to discuss the details of the alleged violations or the NCAA investigation with AL.com aside from acknowledging that he should have been more forthcoming during the NCAA interviews. "I just wish I had really thought things over before answering their questions and that I had just been honest with myself and honest with them."

During the week after his meeting with Battle, Davis had to clean out his office, turn in his school-issued truck and explain to his wife and three kids why he was essentially fired.

"It was devastating having to explain that to my children," Davis said. "I was honest with my kids. I just told them, 'Your dad made a mistake, and he no longer works at Alabama.'"

'It's been very difficult'

While Alabama played Clemson in the national title game on Jan. 9, Davis was in an 18-wheeler on his way back to Alabama from South Carolina, nearing the end of a workday that began at 4 a.m.

His wife called at halftime to let him know that Alabama was up 14-7. The next phone call came after Clemson won.

"You're not going to believe this," his wife said.

"Alabama won?" Davis asked.

"No. Clemson won," she responded.

A surprised Davis accidentally swerved the truck as he responded, "What!?!"

While Davis remains in contact with several of his former Tide players, he didn't watch any Alabama games this past season. The past eight months have primarily been spent working at the trucking company.

A typical office day is 8 to 5. Davis is also on the road three or four days a week, traveling as far as South Carolina and Pennsylvania to recover company trucks.

 

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"I don't really talk to anyone about it. I really just keep it to myself. I really just try to fight through"

 

While Davis received a settlement payment of $317,000 from Alabama, approximately $100,000 of that went towards taxes while the rest has been helping to take care of other financial responsibilities, including investments that Davis made before he parted ways with Alabama.

Davis has already paid his lawyer $40,000 during the last eight months. There are also other monthly financial obligations, like providing for his 73-year old mother who is dealing with dementia. She lives with Davis, his wife and their three children.

Davis' wife went back to work in August to help with expenses and because the family no longer had health insurance coverage from Alabama.

Despite interest from several schools, a college team likely won't hire Davis while the NCAA investigation is ongoing and until he's served whatever penalty he gets from the NCAA.

"It's been very difficult," Davis said. "There was a period when it first happened of 'What the hell just happened here?' Felt really destroyed. With my family, I was trying not to be depressed. Trying to fight through that. You kind of feel like you're worthless. You just feel like, 'What am I here for?' You can't work. You're not doing what you're supposed to do, so what good are you here? And that's something I've had to deal with. That's a phase I went through. It was a very low time. I didn't want to be around anybody. Didn't even want to be around my family. But it was a time that I had to push myself through."

'I just want my life back'

A visit with the Miami Dolphins was Davis' most recent brief and unpaid football opportunity.

The lengthiest trip was a training camp internship with the Jacksonville Jaguars that allowed Davis to work with the team's defensive line. Davis also worked three days with the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive line, a day with Kirby Smart at Georgia and a day with the Atlanta Falcons.

While Davis enjoys any opportunity to be back around football, the brief visits make him miss being around the game on a full-time basis.

"It makes you realize what you enjoy doing," Davis said. "I'll tell anyone this. If you love doing something and you're passionate about what you do, once it's taken away from you, it really destroys you. It makes you realize what you had."

Davis recently had a conversation with two of his former stars at Alabama, Jonathan Allen and A'Shawn Robinson.

Davis and Robinson were on FaceTime while Robinson had Allen on speakerphone on his other phone, allowing the three of them to talk.

They discussed Allen's strong senior season with the Tide, Robinson's rookie year with the Detroit Lions and laughed together as they talked about how Davis used to shout out "You're late" whenever a player wasn't on time for a defensive line meeting.

During the conversation, Allen and Robinson asked Davis, "How are you doing, Coach? Are you OK?"

Davis responded like he typically does when one of his former players asks that question.

"I just tell them, 'This is life,'" Davis said. "I try to teach them that. Even once you get knocked down, you can't just stay down. I always tell them that things happen, but you have to get back up and continue on with your life. That's what I try to teach them, 'Don't wallow in your own self-pity because it's not going to help you.' I made a mistake, and I was wrong. I admit that. I should have been more upfront, and I realize that now.

"I just want people to know that I know I was wrong, and I just want my life back and to be able to support my family."

 

[PowerOfDixieland 3,226]

I suppose Zenitz wants us to feel bad for Davis?  He sold his soul to work for the prince of darkness, did his bidding and then when the gig was up it was a "mistake".  He's a cheater and an effing liar.  I won't shed one tear for him.

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

The bammer REC machine in action. They made this Coach the fall guy when they got caught. If he wants to coach again he'll keep quiet. Does a bammer own the trucking company?

For those who doubt that bammer is dirty.....this is how they recruit and they've been doing it for years.. It was not something done by a rogue coach. 

[PowerOfDixieland 3,226]

9 hours ago, Tigerbelle said:

For those who doubt that bammer is dirty.....this is how they recruit and they've been doing it for years.. It was not something done by a rogue coach. 

I know for a fact that Saban himself played the same "bump" tactic with Kenyan Drake.

[meh130 1,043]

15 hours ago, Tigerbelle said:

.....this is how they recruit and they've been doing it for years.. It was not something done by a rogue coach. 

This makes sense. I doubt a CNS assistant would "go rogue". It just makes no sense given the sophistication of CNS' recruiting, and the demanding nature of CNS as a head coach. I mean seriously, would anyone here cross CNS, or go behind his back if he were our boss?

The idea of Davis as a fall guy makes a lot of sense. But the UAT PTB would need to keep him quiet, so they would have to be helping him, or at least provide a promise to him. The sob story could be a cover story to distance UAT from Davis.

[keesler 5,924]

He's a damn good on-the-field coach.  He choose to lie on the few occasions he was questioned about the incident and he is now at the mercy of the NCAA.  The NCAA could very well throw a show cause on him like they did Jim Tressel and Bruce Pearl, they don't take kindly to liars.

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

3 hours ago, keesler said:

He's a damn good on-the-field coach.  He choose to lie on the few occasions he was questioned about the incident and he is now at the mercy of the NCAA.  The NCAA could very well throw a show cause on him like they did Jim Tressel and Bruce Pearl, they don't take kindly to liars.

Of course he lied. Did you really think he'd actually spill the beans? Remember that other coach from bammer who gave a player money? These coaches are expendable and they take a gamble when they sign on. They take on the dirty work and provide a layer of protection between the cheating and lil' nickster. If they don't get caught their career gets a big REC boost. If they do get caught the REC will take care of them on down the road if they keep quiet. If not they get the Gene Jelks treatment.

[Randman5000 4,228]

On 1/20/2017 at 4:19 PM, Tigerbelle said:

Of course he lied. Did you really think he'd actually spill the beans? Remember that other coach from bammer who gave a player money? These coaches are expendable and they take a gamble when they sign on. They take on the dirty work and provide a layer of protection between the cheating and lil' nickster. If they don't get caught their career gets a big REC boost. If they do get caught the REC will take care of them on down the road if they keep quiet. If not they get the Gene Jelks treatment.

Are you talking about the coach that paid Cotton or was it Warmack? 

[AUIH1 1,515]

Hey if Bruce Pearl can find redemption at AU, so can Davis.  He would be a fine addition to our staff if we can add a 10th assistant.

 

wde

[augolf1716 21,122]

not happening

[AUIH1 1,515]

3 hours ago, augolf1716 said:

not happening

I know, but damn. the hypocritical nature of the AU AD and my fellow AU fans is infuriating.

 

wde 

[lionheartkc 6,150]

On 1/27/2017 at 10:15 PM, AUIH1 said:

I know, but damn. the hypocritical nature of the AU AD and my fellow AU fans is infuriating.

 

wde 

Nothing hypocritical about it... not happening because we have Rodney Garner coaching the line and bigger needs elsewhere if we get a 10th assistant.