By The Culture
To the FAMU Community:
It is with mixed emotions that I announce the departure of Coach Willie Simmons from his position as Florida A&M University Head Football Coach. Coach Simmons has been an integral part of our athletics program, and I am both proud and sad to see him go.
Coach Simmons has been transparent about his aspirations to become a Power 5 head football coach, and I am thrilled that he has been offered an opportunity to take a significant step toward achieving that goal. He will join Duke University as the running backs coach, which aligns perfectly with his professional ambitions.
I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Coach Simmons on this new chapter in his career. I also want to acknowledge Duke University head football coach Manny Diaz for recognizing Coach Simmons’ potential and extending this exciting opportunity to him. I am confident that Coach Simmons will significantly contribute to the Blue Devil football program, and I wish him all the best in his new role.
In the interim, we are fortunate to have Coach James Colzie III stepping up as the interim head coach. Coach Colzie II, who currently serves as the assistant head coach, brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the role, and I am confident in his ability to guide our football program during this transition period.
Your continued support of the football program and its student-athletes is appreciated as I work quickly toward securing the best candidate to lead our football program into the future.
I want to thank Coach Simmons for his dedication and hard work during his time at Florida A&M University, and I look forward to watching his continued success at Duke University.
Sincerely,
Tiffani-Dawn B. Sykes
Vice President and Director of Athletics
Florida A&M University
