Returning to Georgia Southern for his second tenure alongside Head Coach Jeff Monken, Brent Davis has quickly engineered one of the top rushing offenses in the FCS. The veteran triple option coordinator has led the Eagles to two top-5 finishes in the national rankings for rushing offense. Davis, who served as an offensive line coach for Georgia Southern from 2002 to 2005, begins his third year as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach under Monken.
Davis joined the Eagles after four seasons as the offensive coordinator at VMI, where he was the architect of the Keydet option attack that ranked as the nation’s leader in rushing offense in 2008 and 2009. Named interim head coach of VMI in January of 2008, he signed the largest class in Keydet history with 28 players, including five from Georgia. For his efforts on the coaching staff following the 2007 season, Davis was presented the Institute’s Distinguished Coaching Award by the Superintendent.
The Keydets led the Big South in rushing all four years during Davis’ tenure as offensive coordinator, led the nation in 2009, and all NCAA divisions in 2008. VMI recorded a conference-record 357.5 yards per game in 2008, and in 2009, averaged 276.7 rushing yards per game, 100 yards more, on average per game, than the next team in the league. The offensive line allowed only five sacks in 2009, fewest in the FCS.
Fifteenth in the nation in scoring (34.7 points per game) in 2008, the Keydets finished 10th in total offense at 435 yards per game. VMI led the Big South in scoring, rushing and passing efficiency while the VMI record books were rewritten to reflect school records set in total offense, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns and scoring. In 2007, the Keydet offense produced four 500-plus yard games and was ranked fourth in the nation in rushing offense (283.2 yards per game) and 34th in the nation in total offense (402.2 ypg).
Davis installed the option offense at VMI in 2006, helping the program make the transition from the pro-style offense. The first year, Davis developed Sean Mizzer, who would lead the Big South with more than 1,000 yards rushing and earn First Team All-Big South Conference honors. The Keydets would finish 13th nationally in rushing yards per game.
From 2002-2005, Davis coached the offensive line at Georgia Southern and his unit helped the Eagles to two SoCon championships and three FCS playoff appearances. GSU ran its way to four consecutive FCS rushing titles (386.2 ypg in 2002, 335.6 ypg in 2003, 369.9 ypg in 2004 and 386.7 ypg in 2005) and the 2004 scoring title (47.0 points per game). During those years, eight Georgia Southern offensive linemen earned All-Southern Conference accolades while three (Charles Clarke, Chad Motte and Albert Turner) reached All-American status. In 2002, Clark was honored as the Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner, given to the best offensive lineman in the Southern Conference.
Credited for recruiting top players to Georgia Southern, Davis was instrumental in Jayson Foster, while Chris Covington becoming Eagles. Foster’s ability was recognized when he won the 2007 Walter Payton Award, while the talented and versatile Chris Covington was named the 2008 Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year after leading Georgia Southern in rushing in 2006.
Changing positions from running backs to the offensive line, Davis spent the 2000 and 2001 seasons as assistant offensive line coach. Davis coached Georgia Southern’s running backs from 1997-1999, working with 1999 Walter Payton Award winner, 1998 SoCon Offensive Player of the Year and All-American Adrian Peterson. Peterson amassed over 2,600 yards in 15 games in 1998. Peterson was later drafted in the sixth round by the Chicago Bears in the 2002 and played eight seasons in the NFL.
Davis, an Athens, Ga. native, played two seasons and won two letters at The Citadel as a tight end for Charlie Taafe in 1992 and 1993. Davis transferred to Georgia his junior year, where he lettered and also earned a spot on the Academic All-SEC Honor Roll as a senior. Davis graduated from Georgia in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in business management.
His wife, Jen, a Georgia Southern graduate, is a special education teacher.
