Under the program's new head coach in
Billy Cosh, Stony Brook football announced Anthony Davis II as the program's next offensive coordinator, the program announced on January 16, 2024.
In his first season running the offense, Davis helped the Seawolves to the largest turnaround in the FCS in 2024 by going 0-10 (0-8 CAA) in 2023, projected to finish last in the conference for 2024, to an 8-4 (5-3 CAA) record in 2024. This remarkable improvement marked the team's first winning season since 2018, its highest national ranking in six years (No. 16), and finishing at No. 24 in the Stats Perform final regular season poll.
On the offensive side, the team improved from 15.2 points per game in 2023 to 29.6 points per game in 2024. Total offensive yardage jumped from 314.2 to 403.9 yards per game, including a surge in rushing yards from 104.1 to 170.3 and passing yards from 210.1 to 223.6. The team's touchdown count skyrocketed from 19 in 2023 to 44 in 2024. The Seawolves tallied their most passing yards in a season in program history and the most rushing touchdowns and yards since 2019. They also recorded their most points in a season since 2017 and their most total yards since 2019.
He helped Roland Dempster become the program's first Walter Payton Award finalist after he finished third in the FCS and second in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in total touchdowns. He also guided Cal Redman, Nico Papic, and Cole Bunicci to the All-CAA team.
Davis, who will also serve as the wide receivers coach, will re-join Cosh from Western Michigan, where he previously served as the running backs coach for the 2023 season. There, he coached freshman Jalen Buckley to 1,003 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns for the season, finishing third in the league with 91.2 yards per game. Buckley earned All-America Team (College Football Network) and MAC Freshman of the Year honors for his efforts.
"Anthony is a great teacher and human being," Cosh said. "Being with him over the years, I've always respected how he works and how he communicates with his players and staff. He will do a great job with our offense and wide receivers."
Before Western Michigan, he also served as a running backs coach at Chattanooga (2022), Akron (2021), and with Cosh at VMI (2019-20). He led FCS All-American Ailym Ford to a SoCon-leading 119.5 yards per game and 12 touchdowns in 2022. His average rushing yards ranked eighth in the FCS and his rushing touchdowns ranked tied for 26th.
Alongside Cosh, who was the Keydets' wide receivers coach in 2019 and the offensive coordinator in the 2020-21 season, Davis served as both the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator in those two seasons. In his first season with VMI's running backs, Alex Ramsey led the SoCon and finished tied for third in the FCS with 15 rushing touchdowns along with seventh in the nation with 1,355 rushing yards. The next year, VMI reached the FCS playoffs with Korey Bridy finishing top 10 in the league in average rushing (68.3) and rushing scores (4).
Prior to VMI, Davis had served on the strength and conditioning staff and as a graduate assistant coach (2016-18), coaching on both sides of the ball with both the wide receivers and defensive backs.
Davis played two years at Indiana in 2013 and 2014 before transferring to Western Kentucky as a graduate transfer in 2015. Combined with playing and coaching, Davis won two Conference USA championships with Western Kentucky (2015, 2016) and reached three straight bowl games from 2015-17, grabbing wins in the Miami Beach Bowl in 2015 and the Boca Raton Bowl in 2016.
The Indianapolis native earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs from Indiana in 2015 and later earned both an MA in Organizational Leadership along with an MBA from Western Kentucky.
