Duke football running backs coach Willie Simmons has been hired as the next head football coach at Florida International University after joining the Blue Devils coaching staff in January of 2024.
Simmons followed Manny Diaz to Durham after he spent 2018-2023 as the head coach at Florida A&M University, tallying a 45-13 overall record and 34-5 record in conference play in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
Simmons also led Florida A&M to two HBCU National Championships in 2019 and 2023 and brought home the program's first SWAC title in 2023.
Simmons will replace Mike MacIntyre, who was fired after three seasons and a 12-24 record.
As a player, Simmons played quarterback at Clemson from 2000-2002 and at The Citadel in 2003.
He followed Diaz to Duke after spending three seasons together at Middle Tennessee State from 2007-2009.
Simmons began coaching in 2005 as the quarterbacks coach at Lincoln High School (FL). He transitioned to college football after one season where he took a graduate assistant coach position at Clemson.
He left for Middle Tennessee State in 2005 to become the running backs coach for the Blue Raiders and was eventually promoted to pass game coordinator and later promoted to offensive coordinator in 2011.
Simmons is the 7th head football coach in FIU program history.