J. William Davis was an American academic administrator who is known as the father of the National Letter of Intent for college athletics.

He created a form, the National Letter of Intent, to prevent coaches from pulling recruits from other schools.

Davis was named head of the department in 1944 and served in that position for twenty years.

He was the SWC’s representative to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, where he served as vice president from 1967–1971.

Both the library in the Political Science Department at Texas Tech and the Athletic Dining Hall are named for him.