When I look at the macro situation from distance I see the hiring of Butch Davis as sort of a no brainer for UM.
The level of visceral anger that came from fans across the spectrum within the UM community was allowed to fester for far too long. It manifested itself into an anti UM administration and pro-Butch movement. Hiring Butch ensures that both Blake James and Vincente' Fox will officially be off the hook for the next five years worth of on-field results. They will have given the masses exactly what they asked for.
If they hire anyone other than Butch Davis, then Blake James and Vincente Fox will still be "on the hook" for that hire. At least that's the way it appears to me.