Darius Davis - Football Coach - Southern Illinois University Athletics

Darius Davis

Title:
Defensive Line

Darius Davis was named SIU's defensive line coach on Feb. 4, 2025. He joined the Salukis following a three-year stint as defensive line coach at Robert Morris (2022-24). The Colonials posted a 7-5 record in 2024, a seven-win improvement over a winles season in 2022.

While at RMU, Davis coached SIU transfer defensive tackle Bernadin Fleurima Jr., who played in 31 games in three seasons (2022-24) and recorded 42 career tackles with 3.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

Davis joined the coaching staff at RMU after spending five years at Findlay as the co-defensive coordinator. During his five-year stint at Findlay, the Oilers posted an overall record of 37-16 (.698), including a mark of 27-8 (.771) in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). Findlay claimed the G-MAC championship in 2021 and earned a spot in the NCAA Division II Football Championship thanks to a 26-21 victory over Tiffin.

In 2021 the Oilers led the G-MAC in scoring defense, yielding just 16.4 points per game, while also holding opponents to just 98.1 yards per game on the ground, which also led the conference. During his tenure at Findlay, Davis coached 20 student-athletes that earned all-conference honors on the defensive line, including four on the first team.

In his first season at Findlay in 2017, Davis helped the Oilers earn their first bid to the NCAA Division II Football Championship. Findlay ranked in the top 25 for the majority of the season as Davis was instrumental in the development of Johnny Hopkins, who was named the 2017 G-MAC Defensive Lineman of the Year.

Davis, a 2015 graduate of Wayne State with a bachelor’s degree in sport management, spent the 2016 campaign as an assistant coach with the College of Wooster. While with the Fighting Scots, Davis coached the defensive line and punt returners while also serving as the program’s strength and conditioning coach.

A two-year starter at Wayne State as a student-athlete and team captain his senior season, Davis played professionally for the Nebraska Danger of the Indoor Football League (IFL) in 2011, playing both fullback and defensive end. He also spent two seasons as a defensive lineman for the Sioux City Bandits of Champions Indoor Football (CIF) in 2014 and 2015. Davis logged a league-high 14 sacks in 2015 as Sioux City won Champions Bowl I, the inaugural title game of the CIF. Sioux City, as the No. 1 seed, defeated the Texas Revolution, the No. 2 seed, 76-61, to earn the Champions Cup.

While playing indoor football after his career at Wayne State, Davis also began his coaching career at his alma mater. He served as defensive line coach for the Warriors from 2013 to 2015.