A former NFL offensive lineman and an ultra-successful prep coach in Tampa, Mike Simmonds was named offensive line coach at USF on Jan. 22, 2007 after one season as a graduate assistant with the Bulls.
Although 2006 marked Simmonds’ first season on a college football staff, his experience is immense and has already impacted USF’s efforts on the field. A former NFL offensive lineman and a 14-year veteran of high school coaching with three state finals appearances, Simmonds has much to offer.
Behind the 2008 offensive line, the Bulls offense was on the cusp of many program records. USF led the BIG EAST in total offense (405.0 yards per game) and ranked second in scoring offense (27.6). The rushing offense averaged 165.4 yards per game, good for third in the conference.
In his first season overseeing the offensive line, Simmonds was able to pull together an overachieving front five from a position group that was hit hard by injuries during fall training camp. The end result was a consistent starting line of Walt Walker, Ryan Schmidt, Jake Griffin, Zach Hermann and Marc Dile. That group was led by second team All-BIG EAST performer Schmidt and helped pave the way to program records in total offense (5,383) and yards per game (414.1). The running game accounted for 30 touchdowns and 185 yards per outing behind a line that was largely unproven in early September.
The head coach at Jefferson High School from 1998-2005, Simmonds compiled a 75-29 record and led the Dragons to the state championship game in 2002 and 2004. After a 2-8 debut in 1998, Simmonds took his next seven teams to the state playoffs, where he compiled a 17-7 record. In 2002, Simmonds was honored as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers High School Coach of the Year, and in his eight seasons at Jefferson, the Dragons had 74 players sign college scholarships including current NFL wide receiver Andre Caldwell.
Simmonds also played a role in a third state finals appearance as an assistant coach at Hillsborough High, where he was on the staff for six seasons. Those six teams compiled a 54-14 record and the Terriers reached the state championship game in 1996.
A graduate of Indiana State University, where he started 46 games and earned I-AA All-America honors, Simmonds was chosen in the 10th round of the 1987 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He started for the Bucs at offensive guard in 1989, once earning NFL Offensive Lineman of the Week in a game against Chicago. He signed as a Plan B Free Agent with San Diego in 1990 and when he retired, Simmonds had been credited with four NFL seasons.
Simmonds played his high school football for Belleville (IL) before enrolling at Indiana State, where his teams reached the I-AA Playoffs in 1983 and 1984.
Since his playing days ended, Simmonds has been named to the Gateway Conference all-decade team (1980s) and the Gateway Conference 20th Anniversary Team, in addition to earning induction into the Indiana State Hall of Fame.
Simmonds and his wife, Jamie (Whiting) have three daughters, Amanda (18), Lauren (14) and Emily (10). Simmonds was born August 12, 1964.
