CONTRIBUTED BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Austin Davis, a seven-year National Football League veteran and current quarterbacks coach for the Seattle Seahawks, has been named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Auburn, head coach Bryan Harsin announced Saturday. A former two-time All-Conference USA quarterback at Southern Miss, Davis has spent the last three seasons with the Seahawks, working closely with eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson.
A native of Meridian, Mississippi, Davis played in the NFL for St. Louis, Cleveland, Denver, Seattle and Tennessee before joining the coaching ranks in February 2019 as an offensive assistant with the Seahawks before being promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2020.
“From the first conversation I had with Austin, you could just feel his passion for coaching and teaching the game,” Harsin said. “He’s spent the past 10 years as a player or coach in the NFL, bringing that experience from the highest level into our offensive and quarterback rooms. He’s learned and been around some of the best in the business and has been on an upward trajectory since joining the coaching ranks. We can’t wait to get him teamed up with the rest of our staff.”
In Davis’ first season as quarterbacks coach, Wilson continued to elevate his command of the offense, throwing for more than 4,000 yards for the fourth time in his career and setting franchise record for touchdown passes (40), completions (384), and completion percentage (68.8) in 2020. Wilson earned NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September and was voted to his eighth Pro Bowl. Wilson finished 2020 with 267 career touchdown passes, second only to Peyton Manning for most touchdown passes through a player’s first nine seasons.
“I’m honored and privileged to be the next Offensive Coordinator at Auburn University and to be a part of an elite staff led by Coach Harsin,” Davis said. “Being born and raised in Mississippi, you know very well what SEC football is all about and I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity that is before me. I’ve been very fortunate to work for one of the best organizations in all of sports and would like to extend a special thanks to Pete Carroll and John Schneider for believing in me as a young coach. I can’t wait to get down to the Plains and get to work. War Eagle, y’all.”
During his first year with the organization in 2019, Wilson earned his first All-Pro honors while passing for 4,110 yards and 31 touchdowns while completing 66.1 percent of his passes. This season, the Seattle offense is eighth in the league in completion percentage (67.0), fifth in yards per completion (11.7) and tied for the league lead in fewest interceptions throw while seeing Wilson miss three games with an injury.
An undrafted free agent who had a seven-year career in the NFL, Davis started 10 of 16 career games played, completing 236 of 378 passes for 2,548 yards, with 13 touchdowns. His most successful year as a player was the 2014 season in which he started eight games for the St. Louis Rams, where he threw for 12 touchdowns while completing 64.3 percent of his passes. In 2017, Davis served as Wilson’s backup in Seattle.
A walk-on at Southern Miss under head coach Larry Fedora, he became the starter as a redshirt freshman in 2008, ending the season with a combined 15 school single-game and single-season records. He led the Golden Eagles to a bowl game victory in the New Orleans Bowl and was selected to the freshman All-Conference USA team and earned a freshman All-American honorable mention by College Football News.
After having his sophomore season cut short due to injury after five games, Davis returned in 2010, throwing for 3,103 yards with 20 touchdowns against just six interceptions while running for another 452 yards and 10 touchdowns. In the Papajohns.com Bowl against Louisville, Davis passed Brett Favre on the school’s passing touchdown record list.
As a senior, Davis led the Golden Eagles to a C-USA Eastern Division championship and a spot in the conference championship game. Davis ended the 2011 season throwing for 3,496 yards and 30 touchdowns, both school records.
Davis, who threw for 10,898 yards and 83 touchdowns while accounting for 109 scores in his four-year career at USM still owns 10 school records.
He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 2012 MLB Draft in the 31st round. His brother, Bo, played for the San Diego Padres.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT AUSTIN DAVIS
Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks Head Coach
“Austin is going to show that he is one of the bright young minds in the game. He’s been able to transition from player to coach unlike anybody I’ve ever seen. It was just so smooth for him, and he’s been thinking like a coach for a long time, obviously because he was able to capture the role. Russ (Wilson) thinks the world of him, Shane (Waldron) thinks the world of him, and I do too because he is really, really good at what he does. He is going to really be a big benefit to their program.”
Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks Quarterback
“I think Austin is going to be a brilliant offensive coordinator and potential head coach one day. He has a passion for the game, number one. Number two, he’s got an understanding of the game as he’s played the position at the highest level in the National Football League. And three, he’s an amazing teacher. He’s an amazing teacher of the game. He keeps it simple in terms of relaxing the quarterback’s mind. He’ll be an amazing coach at Auburn.”
Blake Anderson, Utah State Head Coach (Davis’ OC at Southern Miss)
“Austin Davis is an amazing hire for Bryan Harsin and the Auburn football program. His path from four-year starter and Conference USA Champion as a walk-on quarterback at Southern Miss, to a starter in the NFL, tells you all you need to know about his work ethic, competitive drive, and passion for the game. I have watched Austin grow in this profession since retiring as a player and those same traits have only been magnified as a coach. He will do an outstanding job as an offensive coordinator at this level.”
Larry Fedora, Former North Carolina and Southern Miss Head Coach (Davis’ Head Coach at Southern Miss)
“What a great hire by Bryan Harsin and Auburn. Austin Davis is a tireless worker who will be innovative in his offensive approach. He has that ‘it’ factor as a leader and mentor everyone wants. Austin is an overachiever in everything he attacks, whether that’s being a walk-on quarterback and leading his team to a conference championship or being an undrafted free agent in the NFL only to prove folks wrong and play seven years at the highest level. I know his character, his knack for developing strong relationships and the quality of his work on the offensive side of the ball. Austin will make Auburn fans proud.”