FAMU Head Coach Willie Simmonds To Become Duke University’s Running Backs Coach

FAMU Head Coach Willie Simmons is leaving the HBCU program to become Duke University's new running backs coach.

Florida A&M head coach Willie Simmons is leaving the program to take a job as Duke University’s running backs coach.

ESPN reports Simmons spent New Year’s weekend weighing his options with Duke and Florida A&M, which made a strong push to keep the coach before he reached a decision Monday.

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Simmons has coached the FAMU Rattlers for five seasons, going 45-13, including finishing 12-1 this season, winning 11 in a row after a loss to South Florida in September. Simmons also led the Rattlers to a 30-26 victory in the December Cricket Celebration Bowl game against Howard University.

James Colzie III, who served as FAMU’s assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach under Simmons for the last two seasons, will become FAMU’s interim head coach. Colzie has coached three All-SWAC cornerbacks at FAMU, Kendall Bohler, Eric Smith, and BJ Bohler.

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Simmons, 43, will work under new Duke head coach Manny Diaz, who left his defensive coordinator position at Penn State University to become the Blue Devils coach. While at Penn State, Diaz led the nation’s top statistical defense, as the Nittany Lions held opponents to 223.2 yards per game, finishing this season with a 10-2 record and an appearance in the Peach Bowl against Ole Miss.

The two men know each other well. Both men coached at Middle Tennessee between 2007 and 2009 when Diaz was the defensive coordinator, and Simmons served as the running backs coach.

Before coaching at FAMU, Simmons coached at Prairie View A&M for three seasons, finishing with a 21-11 record. He was also the first head coach to have a winning record in his inaugural season since 1966.

Simmons was signed to coach FAMU through 2025, earning an annual salary of $300,000. This season, he received $135,000 in bonuses, including $100,000 for winning the Celebration Bowl.