MIAMI -- Butch Davis kept the message simple when he met with his new FIU football team for the first time Tuesday.He rattled off a list of schools who arent in major conferences and still found a way to get into major bowls in recent years, the likes of Boise State and Northern Illinois and Central Florida and Houston.If they can get into Jan. 1 bowl games, why not us? Davis said. Why not us?And with that, Davis next rebuilding project began.Davis five-year contract -- one thats worth about $1 million annually -- was finalized Tuesday, his first day on the job as FIUs newest football coach. He hasnt seen the team play yet and is leaning against going to either of the Panthers final two games this season, choosing for now to spend the majority of his time getting a staff together and preparing to start culling South Floridas super-fertile recruiting ground once again.I love this opportunity, said Davis, who has been an ESPN analyst for the last three years and sought the Miami job -- his old job -- that went to Mark Richt last December. I am grateful to be here and to be the head football coach at FIU. And I look at this challenge as one that has no limits for the ceiling.Davis was introduced to the FIU community at the schools stadium, one that hasnt had much to cheer about in the last few years.This will be the fifth consecutive season that the Panthers miss a bowl game, and now Davis will be the one charged with making sure that streak doesnt last much longer.This is a day today thats a gamechanger, said Pete Garcia, FIUs executive director of sports and entertainment -- and someone who worked side-by-side with Davis at Miami and with the Cleveland Browns. Not just for FIU football, but for FIU athletics.Davis went 51-20 at Miami from 1995 to 2000, taking over a program decimated by sanctions and scholarship losses and turning it into one that would dominate its way to the 2001 national title. Davis was with the Browns when that title was won, taking them to the playoffs in 2002 -- the last appearance in the postseason for that franchise.He coached North Carolina from 2007 through 2010, then got fired in 2011 as part of the fallout of an NCAA investigation. Davis was never implicated in that scandal.Getting let go by the Tar Heels left a bad taste in Davis mouth, though he said he had a bigger reason for wanting to resume his career on the sideline.The motivation to take this job had to do with kids, Davis said. I love kids. I love coaching. I love the competition. I love the recruiting aspect. I love being in the locker room and the weight room. ... Thats why you coach. If you dont coach for the kids, you shouldnt coach at all.Not long before Davis first FIU event, Richt said he wished the newest coach in town well. Miami and FIU are scheduled to resume their series in 2018 and 2019.I think Butch is a great coach, period, Richt said. I think hes a great person. I think it already is a home run for FIU. I know hes going to be excited about the challenge and the opportunity there. Well have to get ready when the time comes. I dont know him well, but Ive known him for a while, and I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and a person.FIU President Dr. Mark Rosenberg said he thinks Tuesdays move will be one that resonates at the school for a long time.Butch Davis has fire in the belly for excellence, Rosenberg said. He has fire in the belly for student-athletes. And he has fire in the belly for American college football.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.orgTigers Jerseys China . Numbers Game looks into the Canadiens securing the services of Thomas Vanek in a trade with the New York Islanders. The Canadiens Get: LW Thomas Vanek and a conditional fifth-round pick. Wholesale Tigers Jerseys . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. https://www.cheaptigers.com/ . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. Cheap Tigers Jerseys . -- Catcher Brett Hayes has agreed to a $630,000, one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, avoiding salary arbitration. Detroit Tigers Gear . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed.LONDON -- Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey has been charged with using discriminatory language toward an opponent during a game in Englands second-tier League Championship.The Football Association said Tuesday that the England international used abusive and/or insulting words that included reference to ethnic origgin and/or race and/or nationality.ddddddddddddhe incident took place near the end of Newcastles 2-0 home loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sept. 17.Shelvey has until Nov. 16 to respond. ' ' '