Ben Davis enters his ninth season on the sidelines for the Marauders in 2022 and will be transitioning back to coaching the defensive line after three seasons as the linebackers coach. He became the defensive coordinator in the spring of 2020 after getting elevated to the position from co-defensive coordinator after the 2019 season. In 2021, after his first season as defensive coordinator, the defense improved in several statistical categories including points per game, total defense, rush defense, 3rd down defense, and redzone defense.
The 2021 season was highlighted with the improvement on 3rd downs and in the redzone on defense, climbing the conference rankings in both categories. On 3rd downs, the defense improved from 16th in the NSIC to 7th, going from a conversion percentage of 47.3% in 2019 to 39.5% in 2021. In the red zone, the defense improved from 10th in the NSIC to tied for 6th, improving over 2% on scoring drives allowed when in the redzone going from 80.8% to 78.7%.
After spending a season away, Davis returned to the Marauders in February 2019 as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. The linebacker group was led by Paul Guptill who became an all-conference performer. Paul led the team in sacks (3), tackles for loss (9.5), forced fumbles (2) and defensive touchdowns (2). Guptill was second on the team with 81 tackles (34 solo). He was also named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the final game of the 2019 season, returning an interception 39 yards for a score, getting a sack, and totaling nine tackles.
Davis spent one season coaching at Benedictine University in Lisle, IL, during the 2018 season. After beginning his time there as the defensive line coach for the Eagles, Davis was promoted to defensive coordinator at the NCAA Division III school in the fifth week of the season. Benedictine finished second in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference in sacks and defensive tackle Jack Drummond was a second team all-conference selection, one of two Eagles defensive players to receive all-league honors.
Prior to his year away from UMary, Davis coached the defensive line in 2016 and 2017. The defensive line was anchored by defensive tackle Brock Pittsley, an all-conference performer in 2017 who recorded seven sacks (3rd most in the NSIC). In that two year period, UMary jumped eight slots in sacks on the Northern Sun leaderboard, moving from 16th to 8th.
After a brief stint at UW-Stout, he returned to coach the Marauders full time in the spring of 2015 as the offensive line coach. The UMary offensive line allowed sacks on just 4.84 percent of drop backs, the fifth-best figure in the league. With the transition of offensive philosophy, he returned to his home on the defensive line for the 2016 season.Â
Davis originally came to UMary in 2013 as a graduate assistant coaching the running backs. He moved to defensive ends coach for the 2014 season, when he worked with Marauders all-conference defensive end Troy Guptill who finished fourth in the NSIC that season in sacks with ten.
He started his collegiate coaching experience at his alma mater in 2012, where Davis guided the MacMurray College Highlanders starting running back to second team all-conference honors.
A starter at both defensive end and nose tackle at MacMurray, Davis earned UMAC academic all-conference honors in 2010 and was recognized by the Highlanders athletic department for graduating with the highest academic achievement for a male athlete during the 2011-12 academic year.
Davis graduated from MacMurray College in 2011 with a degree in Sports Management and a minor in coaching. He earned a master's degree in Business Administration from UMary in 2014. Davis’ wife Liz, works as an athletic trainer at UMary working with several of our athletic programs.
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