Florida International University hires Willie Simmons as football coach

In the United States, Florida International University has made a significant change in its football program by hiring Willie Simmons as its new head coach. This announcement came on December 7, 2024. Simmons previously served as the running backs coach at Duke University during the current football season. He has a successful track record in coaching, having led Florida A&M University from 2018 to 2023 with an impressive record of 45 wins and only 13 losses. Under his leadership, the Rattlers claimed two HBCU national championships. Simmons’ hiring comes after a challenging period for Florida International's football team, which has undergone considerable struggle over the past seasons. The Panthers, under the previous head coach Mike MacIntyre, finished each of their three seasons with a disappointing record of 4 wins and 8 losses. Consequently, MacIntyre was fired earlier in December 2024 as a part of efforts to revamp and improve the team's performance moving forward. Simmons replaces MacIntyre with hopes of turning around the struggling program and re-establishing Florida International as a competitive force in college football. As a former quarterback at Clemson University, Simmons brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the job. His prior coaching experiences include time spent at institutions such as Prairie View A&M University, Alcorn State University, and Middle Tennessee State University. This diverse background equips Simmons with valuable skills that he can apply to develop future talent at Florida International. The expectations for Simmons at Florida International are high, given his successful tenure at Florida A&M and his ability to develop players to compete at a high level. Fans and supporters of the program are moving forward with optimism, eager to see how Simmons will cultivate the team's potential and lead them in upcoming seasons.