Bo Davis, who holds 30 years of coaching experience, including five in the National Football League, is in his first season as the Saints' defensive line coach.
Davis comes to the Saints with a history of developing some of the top defensive linemen in college football. In 13 years of coaching the line at the college level, Davis has produced 18 all-conference selections and seven All-Americans. He's coached players who have won the Outland Trophy, the Defensive Player of the Year in the Big 12 and Conference USA, along with the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year. Davis has been part of three national championships during his college coaching career, winning the 2003 title at LSU along with championships at Alabama in 2009 and 2015 as the defensive line coach for the Crimson Tide.
The Magee, Miss. native, who was a standout nose guard at LSU, spent the 2024 season as the defensive line coach at his alma mater. With Davis' tutelage up front, the Tigers tied for 30th in the nation with 2.62 sacks per game. Davis was instrumental in the development of several defensive linemen. Defensive end Bradyn Swinson shined with 58 tackles, 13 stops for loss, 8.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, earning second-team All-Southeastern Conference. Senior defensive end Sai'Vion Jones had his most productive season in college with 40 tackles, 7.5 stops for loss, 4.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hurries. On the inside, the Tigers overcame early injuries, as a group led by Gio Paez and Paris Shand combined for nine sacks and 15 stops for loss. Freshman defensive tackle Dominick McKinley who saw his snaps increase as the season progressed earned SEC Freshman of the Week for the final contest of the regular season, when he tallied four tackles and two sacks in the win over Oklahoma.
Davis re-joined the LSU staff in 2024 after spending three seasons at Texas (2021-23) where he helped the Longhorns reach the College Football Playoff in 2023 with one of the nation's top defenses. Davis spent six total years in Austin, first as defensive tackles coach from 2011-13 and then as defensive line coach from 2021-23. Davis' 2023 Texas defensive line featured T'Vondre Sweat, a consensus All-America and recipient of the Outland Trophy as the nation's top interior lineman, along with Byron Murphy, who earned Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year. The Longhorns allowed only 82.5 yards rushing a contest and held opponents to fewer than 100 yards on the ground in eight games.
Davis joined Texas for his second stint after serving as defensive line coach for the Detroit Lions (2018-20). He also received valuable NFL coaching experience with the Miami Dolphins as assistant defensive line coach (2006) and as a defensive intern with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2016).
In 2017, with Davis serving as the defensive line coach at UTSA, former Saint Marcus Davenport earned Conference USA Player of the Year honors. The Roadrunners ranked No. 5 nationally in total defense (287.8 ypg), No. 8 in scoring defense (17.0 ppg) and No. 22 in rush defense (127.7 ypg).
Davis served two stints at Alabama, coaching the defensive line from 2007-10 and again from 2014-15. In his first stop with the Crimson Tide, Davis developed nose guard Terrence Cody into a two-time consensus All-American and a finalist for the Lombardi, Nagurski and Bednarik Awards.
From 2007-10, Alabama ranked among the Top Five in the nation in total defense three times, including No. 2 in 2009, surrendering only 245.4 yards per game. The Crimson Tide also ranked among the Top Ten nationally three times during that span in opponent rushing yards per game, which included No. 2 in back-to-back seasons in 2008 (74.1) and 2009 (79.4).
During his second stretch with the Crimson Tide, Alabama's defense led the nation in run defense in 2015, allowing only 75.7 rushing yards per game and ranked third nationally in total defense (273.3 ypg). Davis' 2015 Crimson Tide defensive line featured first-team All-American A'Shawn Robinson, who was an Outland Trophy finalist, along with Jonathan Allen, a 2017 first-round NFL Draft pick.
Davis first joined the Texas staff in 2011, coaching defensive tackles for three years before returning to Alabama in 2014. The Longhorns ranked sixth nationally in rush defense in 2011, allowing 96.2 yards per game and 11th in total defense (306.1 ypg).
Playing at LSU from 1990-92, Davis earned All-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior and graduated in 1993, also serving as a graduate assistant in the strength and conditioning program from 1995-97.
After four years coaching at North Shore (Houston, Texas) High School, Davis returned to LSU as assistant strength and conditioning coach (2002-05), with the team going 41-11 during that span.
Davis and his wife, Omeika, have two sons, Beau and Jackson, and a daughter, Juliana.
PLAYING CAREER: LSU, 1990-92.
COACHING CAREER: LSU, 1995-97; North Shore (Houston, Texas) High School, 1998-2001; LSU, 2002-05, Miami Dolphins, 2006; Alabama, 2007-10; Texas, 2011-13; Alabama, 2014-15; Jacksonville Jaguars, 2016; Texas-San Antonio, 2017; Detroit Lions, 2018-20; Texas, 2021-23; LSU, 2024; New Orleans Saints, 2025-.
