WASHINGTON – Gallaudet University football assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, John Davis, has submitted his resignation to take the Head Football Coach and Assistant Athletic Director position at Central Florida Christian Academy in Orlando, Fla. Davis inherits a team that went 8-3 overall and 5-1 in the district this past season.
Davis has spent the past seven years at Gallaudet, the last six he served as the Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator. He was also the Admissions Liaison for the Athletics Department for the past four years. Davis joined GU in 2008 as a secondary coach.
"We are losing a great coach, friend and most importantly a great family man who always found a way to work around the clock. I wish him success in his future endeavors," said Gallaudet Athletic Director Michael Weinstock.
Davis was named the 2014 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III Assistant Coach of the Year back in December and received his award at the 2015 AFCA Convention in Louisville, Ky., last January.
The Bison defensive unit has thrived under Davis' tutelage where Gallaudet has been ranked among the top defensive units in NCAA Division III. GU finished ninth in total defense in 2013 and sixth in 2009.
Davis helped to usher Gallaudet into the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) when it began with the 2009 season. In the six seasons that GU has been a member the Bison have posted a 24-17 (.585) record and won the 2013 ECFC championship. Davis has coached 35 all-conference defensive players (16 first team, 15 second team, four honorable mention honorees), 12 ECFC All-Academic performers along with the 2012 ECFC Defensive Player of the Year (Tony Tatum) and two ECFC Rookies of the Year (2009, '10) in Tom Pangia and Tatum, respectively. Davis has coached two D3football.com All-Americans on defense (4th team, honorable mention) and three D3football.com All-East Region second team players. In 2013, Davis guided defensive end Adham Talaat, who became Gallaudet's first Gagliardi Trophy finalist, given to the top Division III football player, in school history. Talaat is also a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America performer and was a finalist for the Cliff Harris Trophy, awarded to the top small school defensive player.
"Coach Davis developed an excellent defensive unit from the bottom up and over time it became one of the top units in our conference and nationally. John wore many different hats here and went above and beyond the call of duty. He took pride in developing players and took them under his wing. John is leaving the program in a better place then when he started here," said Gallaudet Head Coach Chuck Goldstein. "We are excited for John and his family in his new position. We wish them the best of luck moving forward. We are going to miss them a lot."
In seven seasons the Bison have accumulated a 36-34 record with Davis leading up the defense, a 34-26 record the past six seasons. GU experienced a record-breaking season in 2013 as the Bison won their first nine games, the best start in program history, had an 11-game winning streak dating back to the 2012 season, won its first ECFC championship, was nationally ranked for the first time in program history and went to its first NCAA tournament.
The Lynchburg, Va., native is a proud 2008 graduate from Liberty University where he lettered in football for three seasons. Davis and his wife Octavia have five children; Alana, Claudia, Gavin, Jeydi and Myles.
