Since Willie Jeffries made history in 1979 as the first HBCU coach to lead an FBS program, there has been an enduring thirst for another coach to break through and make a lasting impact at college football’s highest level. More than four decades later, that moment is unfolding.
At the end of last season, Willie Simmons, former head coach at Prairie View A&M and Florida A&M, left his position at Duke University to take the head coaching job at Florida International University (FIU). On August 29, Simmons earned his first FBS win, guiding FIU to a commanding 42-9 victory over Bethune-Cookman in his home opener at Pitbull Stadium in Miami.
Since his arrival, Simmons has energized the FIU community, gaining early backing from new university president Jeanette Núñez. The Panthers, who finished just 4-8 last season and have experienced only moderate success since launching football in 2002, now have a renewed sense of optimism.
Curiously, Simmons is one of the first HBCU head coaches since Jeffries to ascend to the FBS ranks. Former Alcorn State head coach Jay Hobson became the head coach of Southern Mississippi in 2016 after winning back-to-back titles with the Braves in 2014 and 2015.
Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders also made the jump from HBCU to FBS when he took the reins of the Colorado Buffaloes in 2023. He would guide the Jackson State Tigers to the SWAC Championship in both 2021 and 2022 before bolting for Boulder, Colorado to take over a Buffalo team that had won just one game in the season prior to his arrival.
He is not alone this year, however, as three other former HBCU coaches now lead FBS programs: Jerry Mack at Kennesaw State University, Eddie George at Bowling Green University, and Simmons at FIU.
Mack’s Owls Put a Scare Into Wake Forest
Jerry Mack, the former North Carolina Central head coach who elevated the Eagles into Celebration Bowl contenders, nearly engineered a statement win in his FBS debut. His Kennesaw State Owls fell just short in a 10-9 heartbreaker to ACC opponent Wake Forest.
“Really proud of the way our guys competed and fought tonight,” Mack said. “I was really impressed with our defense and just the battle they kinda put out there. Offensively, we’ve got to do a better job of executing. You can see the second half especially we just didn’t show up. Special teams wise, we’ve got to make those extra points and field goals. That was kind of the tale of how the game progressed. If we make those field goals and extra point in the first half, then we’re up in the second half as opposed to playing catch up.”
Mack’s coaching journey has been steady and deliberate. After his success at NCCU, he was hired in 2017 as offensive coordinator at Rice, later becoming assistant head coach. In 2021, he joined Tennessee as running backs coach, followed by a stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024. His hiring at Kennesaw came at the hands of athletic director Milton Overton, a former FAMU administrator.
George Opens Tenure With a Kickoff Return to Remember
Eddie George, the legendary Heisman Trophy winner who guided Tennessee State to the FCS playoffs, also enjoyed a strong start at his new post with Bowling Green.
In the 107th season of Falcon football, Bowling Green opened with fireworks. Cameron Pettaway returned the season’s opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, sparking a 26-7 win over Lafayette.
“First and foremost, it’s a great opportunity to coach these guys,” George said. “Wallace had an amazing game. It’s a great opportunity to coach here at Bowling Green State University with the coaching staff. It’s a blessing with my family here. I saw teammates that I hadn’t seen in years. My coach from Ohio State, Coach [John] Cooper, Jim Tressel, Urban Meyer. It was a special day. I’m so full of gratitude for this sport and everything special about our kids and this university.”
Simmons Starts New Era With Familiar Foe
For Simmons, the debut couldn’t have been scripted better. In his first game leading FIU, he faced Bethune-Cookman — a rival he knew well from his FAMU days. Simmons went 3-2 against the Wildcats at FAMU, and the Panthers’ 42-9 victory marked his fourth straight win over them.
“A great way to kick off the season with the win,” Simmons said. “We play the game to win. We didn’t play our best game but we got the job done. A lot of things to clean up, but it’s typical of your first game. A lot of jitters, a lot of uncharacteristic things, but we’ll get it cleaned up and drastically make improvement between week one and week two, which is what you want now that the guys have a full game under their belts. We’re happy to start off with a win, trying to get this program started off on the right foot.”
Simmons’ roster even features familiar faces from his 2023 Celebration Bowl champion FAMU squad. Linebacker Johnny “Chainsaw” Chaney Jr. led the Panthers’ defense and relished another shot at Bethune.
“This was pretty personal for me. I mean it’s Bethune (Cookman). Whatever team I’m on, we always want to beat Bethune,” Chaney said.
Joining him is former FAMU All-American punter Trey Wilhoit, who now handles kicking duties for FIU.
When asked to compare coaching at an HBCU versus the FBS level, Simmons made it clear that the fundamentals of the job don’t change.
“No, not really. The way you do things the way you do everything. Whether you’re head coach of a high school team, you know, FCS team, FBS, professional. I have a job to do and that’s to lead young men to be the best they can be so, I’m blessed to be here. Blessed to have this opportunity. Like I said, once the game starts, you’re just coaching football. The guys may get a little bit bigger, the higher you go; the NIL bags a little bit bigger the higher you go, but again, football is still football. The field is still 53 1/3 yards wide, 100 yards long. I really don’t get caught up in what level you’re on and all that kind of stuff. I’m just a country boy from Quincy, Florida who’s blessed to be able to coach college football and I’m thankful for that.”
A New Chapter for HBCU Coaching Legacy
More than 40 years after Willie Jeffries blazed a trail into the FBS, Simmons, Mack, and George now carry that legacy forward — each carving out their own storylines in the 2025 season. Their success signals a new era, one in which HBCU coaches are not just breaking barriers, but also proving that they belong at the highest level of college football.