Willie Simmons (American football) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Willie Simmons

Simmons at press conference after being named head coach at Prairie View A&M
Current position
Title	Head coach
Team	FIU
Conference	CUSA
Record	0–0
Biographical details
Born	(1980-10-12) October 12, 1980 (age 44) Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
Playing career
2000–2002	Clemson
2003	The Citadel
2005	Sioux City Bandits
Position(s)	Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2005	Lincoln HS (FL) (PGC/QB)
2006	Clemson (GA)
2007–2009	Middle Tennessee (RB)
2010	Middle Tennessee (PGC/RB)
2011	Middle Tennessee (OC/RB)
2012–2014	Alcorn State (OC/RB)
2015–2017	Prairie View A&M
2018–2023	Florida A&M
2024	Duke (RB)
2025–present	FIU
Head coaching record
Overall	66–24
Bowls	1-0
Tournaments	0–1 (NCAA D-I playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 black college national (2023) 1 SWAC
Awards
SWAC Coach of the Year (2023) 2× AFCA Region 3 Coach of the Year (2022–2023)

Willie Román Simmons (born October 12, 1980) is a well-known American college football coach. He used to be a quarterback himself. Since 2025, he has been the head football coach at Florida International University (FIU).

Before joining FIU, Simmons was the head coach at Florida A&M University (FAMU) from 2018 to 2023. There, he led the team to a big win: a black college national championship and a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) title in 2023. He also coached at Prairie View A&M University from 2015 to 2017. As a player, Simmons was an All-American quarterback in high school. He played college football at Clemson University and The Citadel.

Early Life and High School Football

Willie Román Simmons was born on October 12, 1980, in Tallahassee, Florida. He was the youngest of three children and the only son.

At James A. Shanks High School in Quincy, Florida, he was an amazing quarterback. He was even ranked as one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the country. He helped his team win their first district championship in 22 years. He threw for over 2,500 yards and 32 touchdowns. Many colleges offered him scholarships, and he chose to play for Clemson University.

Willie Simmons' College Playing Career

Simmons played football for three years at Clemson (2000–2002). He played in four different bowl games during his time there. He finished his college degree in services marketing in 2002. This was the fastest any Clemson football player had graduated at that time.

In 2003, he moved to The Citadel. There, he became an All-Southern Conference First Team player. He helped his team have a winning season for the first time in ten years. In 2005, Simmons played one season for the Sioux City Bandits. This was a professional indoor football team.

Coaching Journey

Starting Out as a Coach

Simmons began his coaching career in 2005 at Lincoln High School in Tallahassee. He coached the passing game and quarterbacks. He even helped train a future NFL quarterback, B.J. Daniels. In 2006, he went back to Clemson as a graduate assistant. He continued to work with quarterbacks there.

Coaching at Middle Tennessee

From 2007 to 2009, Simmons coached running backs at Middle Tennessee. He was promoted to pass game coordinator in 2010. By 2011, he became the offensive coordinator. This made him one of the youngest coordinators in college football at age 30. In 2011, his team's offense was ranked 20th in the country. They were also the best in their conference for total offense.

Success at Alcorn State

In 2012, Simmons joined Alcorn State as the offensive coordinator. The team quickly got better. In 2013, they finished with a great record of 9 wins and 3 losses. In 2014, Alcorn State won the SWAC championship. They were also named Black College National Champions. Their offense was ranked second in the nation for scoring points.

Leading Prairie View A&M

On December 16, 2014, Simmons became the head coach at Prairie View A&M. In 2015, his team finished with 8 wins and 2 losses. Their offense was the best in the country, scoring almost 45 points per game. Simmons led the Panthers to three winning seasons in a row. This was a rare achievement for the team.

Coaching Florida A&M

On December 12, 2017, Simmons became the head coach at Florida A&M. He helped end their seven-year losing streak in 2018. In 2019, FAMU had a fantastic 9-2 record.

After taking a break in 2020 due to COVID-19, FAMU joined the SWAC in 2021. They finished 9-3 and made it to the FCS playoffs. In 2023, Simmons led FAMU to an amazing 12-1 record. They won the SWAC championship and the black college national championship. He was also named SWAC Coach of the Year for his great work.

Coaching at Duke

In 2024, Simmons worked as the running backs coach at Duke. He helped the team have a strong 9-3 season.

Becoming Head Coach at FIU

On December 10, 2024, Willie Simmons was named the head coach at FIU. He started this new role in 2025.

Personal Life

Willie Simmons is married to Shaia René Beckwith. They have six children together: Louis III, Amerie, Raven, Shailoh, Wraylon, and Truth.

His father passed away in 1987 from a work accident. His mother, who was a math teacher, passed away in 2005. Simmons was nicknamed “Shotgun” because he had a strong arm and could throw the ball quickly. He still has strong connections to his hometown of Quincy, Florida.

Head Coaching Record