Davis Staying At Miami

Miami coach Butch Davis doesn't mind having his name mentioned year after year with just about every coaching vacancy in the country.

He considers it a compliment even though the rumors make it look like he will someday leave the Hurricanes.

Davis seemingly put those to rest Wednesday. He emphatically said he is staying at Miami, ruling out the Alabama job as well as any other college or pro coaching position.

"I'm not going to any other job," said Davis, who is 50-20 in six seasons with the Hurricanes. "I took this job with the idea that this would be the last coaching job that I would take and nothing has changed today, in the last 48 hours or the last six years."

Just days after leading Miami (10-1) to its ninth consecutive win and its first Big East title in four years, Davis met with Houston Texans owner Bob McNair and talked to Alabama athletic director Mal Moore about their respective coaching vacancies.

But Davis said neither job would lure him away from Miami, which has offered a five-year contract extension worth about $1.3 million annually. Davis, 49, is in his fourth year of a seven-year deal that pays him about $900,000 annually.

He has begun negotiations with Miami athletic director Paul Dee on the new contract.

"I hope to get something done with Miami in the very near immediate future," Davis said. "This isn't going to be a deal for one year and then jump ship. Ten years from now, maybe. I don't know. Maybe if I get tired from college coaching. Who knows?"

Davis, who was named the Big East coach of the year Wednesday, turned around Miami's program after it was hit with numerous NCAA violations that resulted in 31 lost scholarships over a three-year period.

His success provided him with several coaching opportunities in recent years, including LSU, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Arkansas. He also had been mentioned as a candidate for several NFL jobs, including New Orleans, Green Bay and most recently with the Texans.

"I never had a doubt that he was staying," offensive tackle Joaquin Gonzalez. "He hasn't gotten the job done that he wanted to yet. ... We haven't won the national championship here. He's done a great job here. What he's instilled in our minds is that he's here for the long run."

Added quarterback Ken Dorsey: B>"We're very grateful that he's going to be here. He's one of the best coaches in the country, which is very apparent in everyone wanting him."

Davis denied any possibility that he would stay in Miami for another season and then join the Texans, an NFL expansion team that begins play in 2002. Houston has no firm deadline for naming a coach.

"The Houston job is somewhat intriguing from the standpoint that it's a fresh start, there's no negatives," Davis said. "But I put six years and an enormous amount of effort and energy into Miami. We have an outstanding football team currently, we've got a terrific football team coming back next year and we're having a great recruiting class."

Davis did see a downside to the Texans job.

"They don't have an ocean, they don't have a beach, they don't have 85-degree weather," he said. "This is a good job. This is a very, very good job. I like it here, my wife likes it here, my son likes it here."

Davis showed less interest in Alabama. The Tide are looking to replace ousted coach Mike DuBose following their worst season since 1957. They finished 3-8 after being ranked as high as No. 3 in preseason polls. The program also is in the midst of an NCAA investigation.

"I listened to what he had to say and then I politely told him Mr. Moore I'm flattered, Alabama has a rich tradition and I'm sure it's a good job but I'm not interested in interviewing," Davis said. "I didn't even let him talk about money. I said I don't want to know."

©2000 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed