Ernie Sims

Biography

Ernie Sims, an All-American at FSU and the No. 9 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, is in his third season on staff and first as linebackers coach in 2026. Sims was a defensive analyst for the Seminoles in 2024 and served as assistant linebackers coach in 2025. During the 2025 season, he helped guide a group that featured five linebackers with at least 35 tackles on a defense that ranked second in the ACC in pass defense and in the top five in the conference in total defense and sacks per game. Sims returned to Tallahassee after spending the 2023 season as UCF's linebackers coach. There, he guided Jason Johnson to first-team All-Big 12 recognition after Johnson's total of 114 tackles ranked second in the Big 12 and 26th nationally. The Knights won six games in their first season in the Big 12 and played in the Gasparilla Bowl behind a defense that ranked in the top five in the conference in passing yards allowed, pass efficiency defense, scoring defense and sacks. Sims was on staff at South Florida from 2020-22, beginning as an analyst before being promoted to linebackers coach in 2021 and serving as the Bulls' defensive coordinator for the final three games of the 2022 season. At South Florida, Sims coached Antonio Grier to second-team All-AAC recognition. Sims began his collegiate coaching career in 2018 as FAU's strength and conditioning coordinator before spending the 2019 season as director of football operations for the Owls. At the time of his selection by the Detroit