Bo’s Bits Vol. 3: FIU’s Simmons, UTSA’s Traylor Provide Expert Tutelage as Head Coaches

By Bo Carter, NFF National Correspondent

Two of the most energetic and success-driven head coaches in NCAA FBS circles are bringing their teams to the 16th annual SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Friday, Dec, 26, at Ford Stadium on the SMU campus.

From his playing days at Clemson and The Citadel until the present, first-year FIU head man Willie Simmons has produced significant turnarounds of team fortunes and squads that have proven to be capable of knocking off virtually any opponent on any level.

A case in point is the Golden Panthers comeback from a 4-8 overall mark with eight consecutive road losses through the 2024 season to a 7-5 overall record with a 5-3 record in Conference USA with four consecutive victories to end the ’25 regular season under the personable Simmons.

It is no surprise that the 45-year-old native of football-famed Tallahassee, Fla., has been able to reverse FIU fortunes as he depends on a balanced attack on offense and rugged defense to prevail. For example, from 2018-23 he helped his hometown university Florida A&M to a pair of Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference crowns, a berth in the 2021 NCAA FCS playoffs and a sparkling 45-13 mark over 58 total contests over five seasons with 2020 being vacant due to COVID-19 challenges.

Before that Simmons brought Alcorn State back to some of its former gridiron prominence with a 21-11 overall worksheet over three seasons from 2015-17 and three consecutive campaigns of third place finishes or better in the always-tough Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division.

The highly-touted FIU coach additionally provided plenty of firepower as offensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee from 2007-09 and at Alcorn State from 2012-14. In 2014 the Braves were deemed HBCU FCS national champs behind SWAC co-Offensive Player of the Year and Black College Player of the Year QB John Gibbs Jr.

Simmons also brings a 73-29 all-time college head coaching slate and .716 winning percentage at three assignments over nine seasons and 1-1 mark in NCAA and bowl competition.

Across the field Traylor built one of the top coaching resumes in Texas high school annals with a 175-26 mark over 15 seasons as head coach at Gilmer High School from 2000-14, an .871 winning percentage and three state championships in five appearances.

The Stephen F. Austin graduate (two degrees) and former Lumberjacks walk-on football performer helped start the careers of the McCown brothers – Josh, Luke and Randy – while they were at GHS and then moved into the collegiate ranks as an assistant coach at Texas in 2015. His efforts there netted the distinction of Big 12 Conference Recruiter of the Year for ’15.

Next stops were assistantships at SMU and Arkansas under head coach Chad Morris (the father of well-traveled FBS quarterback star Chandler Morris) in 2017-19 before he gained the UTSA head coaching position as its third head coach in December 2019 with a strong emphasis on in-state recruiting.

That mission has been accomplished to the tune of a 52-26 all-time mark (.667 victory rate), a school-best six consecutive bowl bids (including both the 2020 and 2025 SERVPRO First Responder Bowls) and back-to-back Conference USA Coach of the Year kudos after taking the Roadrunners to first place and 12-2 and 11-3 records, respectively, in 2021 and ’22.

Traylor inherited a UTSA squad in the midst of COVID-19 challenges before and during the ’20 outing and guided the team to four victories in the final five games to net bowl eligibility after that season.

With possibly his youngest team to date and a rigorous American Conference slate in ’25, the high-energy head coach established a postseason invitation with three wins in four games before falling to Army West Point in a 27-24 squeaker at the San Antonio Alamodome. It was the Roadrunners’ seventh game over eight contests against bowl-bound teams from the American. 

Regardless of the outcome on Dec. 26, expect these two talented head coaches to keep their teams in the running for Conference USA (FIU) and American (UTSA) laurels for years to come as they already have some major gains in December signing periods for the ’26 season.

For additional information, pregame pageantry and ticket purchases, please access Firstresponderbowl.com.

-www.firstresponderbowl.com-