The departure of Florida A&M head football coach Willie Simmons after six years and five seasons brings to an end one of the most accomplished and successful tenures on the highest of seven hills in nearly 25 years.  Simmons’ departure for an assistant coaching position at Duke University, is a move that may have been a surprise to many, but it should not have been unbelievable. 

FAMU alumni and supporters (aka, The FAMULY) made efforts to fundraise with the intent of giving VP of Intercollegiate Athletics, Tiffany-Dawn Sykes, enough financial support to present Coach Simmons with a matching or competitive counter-offer to the rumored $500K per year contract being offered by Duke. Alas, the efforts weren’t successful, but there were positives from the attempt that give FAMU and FAMU Athletics an opportunity to move forward with an inspired and optimistic fanbase.

Marcus Green, co-host of The O&G StrikeZone, analyzes the departure and future of Florida A&M Football one week after the departure of Coach Willie Simmons.

How Did We Get Here?

1. Warning signals 

This day was a long time coming and wasn't a secret. When Coach Simmons was hired in Dec. 2017 with a 5-year deal, more than a few FAMU alums personally remarked that if he achieved the level of success that was expected, and if he reached some or all of the incentives in the original contract (team APR improvement, Florida Classic win, FCS Playoff berth, Celebration Bowl win, Conf. Coach of the Year) that FAMU would be fortunate to have him make it to the 2nd contract. His age, ambition and acumen as a 'turnaround specialist' makes him an attractive hire for any school. He came over from Prairie View after leading them to a 9 win 1st season, and having them compete in the SWAC annually.

Early 2018 - in a podcast with Mike Prince shortly after his FAMU hire, there were questions regarding Coach Simmons desire to return to the FBS level (MTSU assistant coach early in career)

https://twitter.com/OBN_Radio/status/939215293880127488

When ESPNs Holly Rowe was a guest speaker at the Tallahassee QB Club in Nov. 2019 raved about Coach Simmons, said he was a 'rising coaching star'.

Simmons was identified (April 2021) and participated in the National Coalition of Minority Coaches Coalition Alliance as 1 of 13 FCS coaches who could become FBS coaches and was assigned Debbie Yow, 1st female AD in ACC (NC State and Maryland) as mentor.

In the 'What About Us?' ESPN documentary, episode No.4 starting at the 8:40 min. mark , he was asked about leaving for FBS, and he mentioned it would be hard to leave but he would at least listen.

Coach Simmons was identified as a potential candidate for the Univ. of South Carolina RB coach vacancy under new HC Shane Beamer, just prior to the contract extension signed in 2021.

2. Staff promotions 

Throughout his tenure, Coach Simmons has had staff members leave, and more often than not, leave for a position at a higher level of football or a team playing in a different conference. As an advocate for his staff to actively seek opportunities for career advancement, he has to wonder 'what about me?, not in a selfish way but in the career fulfillment aspect. 

From the list below and the publicized participation of FAMU football coaches in NFL fellowships and speaking opportunities , it becomes evident that Coach Simmons was invested in the advancement and professional development of his staff.  It is only natural for him to want to exercise the skills and knowledge he gained from current experiences and previous mentorship in a new environment to allow him to continuously develop his acumen in coaching football and developing productive members of society.

Former FAMU Football Coaches during Willie Simmons’ tenure:

OL/OC coach

• Alex Jackson (Tennessee Off. Analyst, Alabama State OC/Asst. HC)
• Ryan Stanchek (Austin Peay OL/OC, Tulsa OL coach)
• Ayobele Randolf, Grad assistant (UNC-Charlotte Def. assistant)

DL coach

• Ralph Street (Marshall Univ. DL coach)

DB coach

• Kenneth Gilstrap (MTSU DB coach ; UAB ST coordinator)
• Brandon Sharp - DB/Safeties (Purdue Def. analyst)
• Dan Lemke - DB/Nickel (PV Co-Def. Coordinator/Pass Game coordinator)

RB coach

• Joe Henry (Missouri, LSU, Arkansas RB and OL assistant; FAMU OL/OC coach)
• Shane Tucker (WR coach/recruiting coordinator)
• Mateo Kambui, Grad assistant (GA Southern, DEN Broncos Coaching Fellowship off. assistant; ATL Falcons OL assistant) 

QB coach

• KJ Black (LA Rams Offensive Assistant coach)

WR coach

• Jelani Berassa (Youngstown State WR coach)

3. The Case for an extension or increase salary

By now, the incentive clauses in Willie Simmons’ original 2018 contract, and to some degree the extension signed in 2021 have been reviewed ad nauseam. In brief, there were separate and cumulative financial incentives for the teams Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores having a 2-year average of 950, achieving an FCS playoff berth, achieving a Celebration Bowl victory, achieving a Florida Classic (annual game vs. Bethune-Cookman University) victory, and receiving a Conference Coach of the Year selection.

Most accolades go beyond the dictates of a contract.  It speaks to the character and impact a person has on the people around him. If Athletics is the front porch of the university, Coach Simmons is the patriarch of the house that everybody in the neighborhood gravitates to.  The house with the ‘cool parents’ that you can talk to, but will dig into you with aplomb like Clair Huxtable  if you need gentle correction. The house that has that gravitational pull that you can’t explain fully when you are in your formative years but recognize later as a safe haven that helped you develop along with your own upbringing. This type can't be quantified fully, but needs to be appreciated to the fullest extent.

Willie Simmons is a product of the local community, and his impact and influence is palatable, from his active participation to stem gun violence, some of which impacted his immediate family, to his ubiquitous presence at many FAMU Athletic endeavors outside of his own sport and university events.  Willie Simmons is a true ambassador for FAMU and for his local community, for example: Simmons named 2019 Tallahassee Democrat person of the Year (Jan. 2020). 

In short, he CONNECTED with people. He spoke well of his community and FAMU, even when it would have been easy to take another path.  Coach Simmons is smart and deft, having graduated with a degree in Marketing in 3 years, so he has a charm, insight and diplomacy to turn most situations in his favor.  However, you never walk away feeling manipulated but inspired, never downcast but edified, never deflated but energized.

Going back to the original December 2017 contract, it was reported that the 2021 extension did not result in a raise in salary for him. In that time frame, he has had 4-straight seasons (2020 COVID year notwithstanding) of 9 wins or more (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023) out of the 5 football seasons , multiple All-conference and All-American players during his tenure in melding the FCS Defensive Player of Year, 3 players currently in the National Football League, other former players in professional leagues, and more importantly, countless young men being professionals in life.

The argument can be made, if somehow his off-field impact could be quantified and combined with his on-field accomplishments, he has outperformed his contract and was overdue for a bump in pay. Regardless of his salary, which is likely par for his profession and level of competition, how many professionals across any industry remain at the same salary for 6 years while having measurable performance improvement ?

President Robinson receives an annual review from multiple governing bodies, including the FAMU Board of Trustees (BOT) and the Florida State Univ System Board of Governors (BOG). Reaching and in some cases surpassing performance metrics have been significant contributors to the upward trajectory of FAMUs rankings. Research investment continues to climb and multiple academic programs have received accolades from accreditation agencies and peer groups.  Dr. Robinson, as the leader, has garnered  praise from the state governing bodies and has shown tangible appreciation in the form of bonuses and raises.

Coach Simmons inherited a program that was wandering in the wilderness, having trouble regaining its footing as the powerhouse that the history and legacy dictated. The previous 1-10 season (2017)  before his arrival were the nadir of a near 6 year slide for football and 15 years of upheaval in the Athletic department. He leaves the program with the same salary in his original contract 6 years removed from its initial signing, but with 45 wins, 20-game home winning streak , 2 HBCU National Championships, developing countless young men on his staff and student-athletes, in addition to having guided a team through a global pandemic, change in conference affiliation , multiple hurricanes across different playing seasons, multiple Athletic Director changes, and likely other untold trials and tribulations he endured as a good soldier.

Coach Simmons has shown that he is a workman who needs not to be ashamed by the way he acquitted himself as a leader and football coach .  The worker is worthy of his wages , and to Duke University’s benefit and the FAMU community’s detriment, his wages are now coming from Durham, NC.

Reasons for Optimism/Solutions

1. Booster orgs/DSOs /NAA

The coalescing events of the 2023 New Years weekend to keep Coach Simmons is a bright spot for the future coach. The assemblage of nearly $150,000 commitment for the program in less than 4 days is monumental.

The question becomes (if not refuted by interviews after writing of this document) whether his departure was about the money, the opportunity, some other positive or negative circumstances or some combination.  In any event, the financial muscle shown and lessons learned by what was done or unfulfilled during the Simmons era should serve as a data point to enhance the program going forward, but not in a reactive manner.  This demonstrates that given a tangible plan with actions and expectations, Rattler Nation will respond. Harnessing this energy consistently, or having this on a recurring basis outside of emergency events could buoy the fortunes of the entire athletic department.

Increased membership and participation in DSOs could also provide opportunities for FAMUans to actively voice and direct the roles and influence of the DSOs outside of dire situations. Sitting on the sidelines or being passive until drama hits should be vestiges of the past.

2. Launching Pad/Cradle of coaches concept

Idea initially bounced around by FAMU alums in Dec. 2007 when Rubin Carter was not renewed and a coaching search ensued. The original text was posted in a forum application that was made obsolete, so the other surviving references from MEACfansZone (2010 - 2013) and a private forum (Dec. 2017 prior to Willie Simmons’ official hiring) are referenced. The intent is to refashion the Ath. Dept. and fanbase mindset to be better prepared and maximize dexterity by embracing some of our coaching roles as springboards for promotion. 

At that time, in the early 2000s, many Mid-American Conference (football) and mid-major basketball coaches were hired away by larger, better funded Athletic departments and those schools from which the coaches came from did a great job of identification for the next hire. In fact, certain conferences within those sports garnered a reputation for developing coaches that became prime candidates when Power conf. Schools that needed a jolt. 

FAMU’s recent mantra to prospective student-athletes of “You can get there from here”, should also apply to the coaches (ref. Staff promotions section above), inclusive of the head coach. The paradigms of college football have undergone major shifts in the last two decades, from student-athlete empowerment and the transient nature of both coaches and athletes. The norm for coaching tenures has moved away from ‘jobs for life’ or elevation to the ADs chair to a progressive ascension up the ranks of the differing levels of football until the desired level is reached.

FAMU should embrace that concept and fashion its operation to actively promote coaches' successes and its ability to place coaches at higher levels.  The same zeal and pride applied to graduates who leave FAMU to do great things should become a campaign for young coaches who do the same. In this way, when someone is hired away, the negative stigma unfairly associated with HBCUs being dead-end jobs will be disproven as more coaches progress through the ranks.

3. Autonomy of VP/AD role

It has been well-chronicled around the heavy-handed, protracted hiring process in collegiate athletics. Mike often than not, coaching hires for revenue-generating sports are rife with bloated search committees, or the specter of powerful boosters or administrators/trustees exerting influence that adds few constructive actions.

However, the seeming autonomy of VP/AD Sykes to hire the new FAMU women’s basketball head coach, Bridgett Gordon, provides one data point in a positive direction. Football being the predominant sport may be a different beast, but her past interactions with coaches in various forums and the confidence imbued in her decision will hopefully stave off unproductive intrusions by those attempting to unduly steer the coaching search.

The weight of this next coaching hire is surely evident, as it not only will serve to either propel or stifle the programs’ momentum from arguably its best years since the late ‘90s, but cement or sink the legacy of the current AD.  RattlerNation is a proud, fierce, and dedicated bunch, and the departure of a native son for a larger stage is bittersweet. However, accountability for finding the next football coach is on the shoulders of FAMU decision-makers, who are endowed with the responsibility of continuing the long line of football excellence spanning nearly 120 years.