Browns Introduce Butch Davis

Berea, Ohio—The Browns have their man.

Butch Davis was formally introduced as the team's new head coach at a Tuesday morning press conference that also included Browns owner Al Lerner, President and CEO Carmen Policy and Vice President/Director of Football Operations Dwight Clark.

"In terms of Coach Davis, he's the best example I've ever seen of the complete package," Lerner said. "The coaching piece, as far as I'm concerned, is now in place."

Davis arrived in Cleveland Monday afternoon and signed a five-year contract, the terms of which had been finalized late Sunday night and early Monday morning by Policy and Davis' agent, Marvin Demoff.

"You can't help but be excited about the opportunity to be the head coach of the Cleveland Browns," Davis said. "If I was going to make the change and leave the University of Miami, this would be the premier place I could go. This would be the type of organization that would give you a chance and give you the resources to win."

Davis, 49, spent the last six seasons as the head coach at Miami (Fla.), where he led the Hurricanes to a 51-20 record and four bowl game victories in as many tries. The 2000 Hurricanes finished 11-1 and capped their season with a win over Florida in the Sugar Bowl.

Policy said Davis was the Browns' top candidate from the start of the coaching search.

"It's always important to get your number one choice," Policy said.

Davis becomes the tenth full-time head coach in Browns’ history and the second since the Browns returned to the NFL in 1999. Davis has six years of NFL coaching experience and won two Super Bowls as an assistant for the Dallas Cowboys (1989-94).

`"He's a solid coach and a great pick," Browns guard Jim Pyne told the Associated Press. "He's a high-energy guy who has a lot of enthusiasm and fire. He's a tough disciplinarian, and that can only help a young team. I'm really happy he's coming."

A 1974 University of Arkansas graduate, Davis coached in the high school ranks for six years before joining the staff at Oklahoma State in 1979. In 1984 he became an assistant at Miami, where he spent five years before joining the Cowboys’ staff.