FIU Offensive Coordinator Nick Coleman Happy To Reunite with Willie Simmons

Kevin Barral | Jan 27, 2025

Nov 18, 2023; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; FIU Panthers helmet prior to the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

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Back when FIU was in the Sun Belt Conference, you could often spot Nick Coleman on the visiting sideline as either a player or coach. From 2006-09, he was a quarterback for the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders. He played in six career games where he completed two passes for 15 yards. Coleman would later join the MTSU staff as a graduate assistant under Willie Simmons, then the pass game coordinator and running backs coach for the Blue Raiders.

"We had some big battles, back and forth, multiple times," Coleman told G5 Football Daily. "The year they won the conference, we actually beat them in the last game of the season in 2010 to get bowl eligible. We always had respect for the program."

Following Simmons' hiring as FIU's head coach, one of his first additions to his staff was Coleman, replacing David Yost as offensive coordinator. The reunion is a happy one for Coleman, who had been hoping to coach with Simmons again since 2010.

"I've been trying to get back with coach [Willie] Simmons ever since we broke apart," said Coleman. "As soon as he got the job my wife was like, we gotta go, we gotta go, we gotta go. I believe in him, believe in everything that he's done. Obviously, him getting this job matched up correctly with my career and him giving me the opportunity to be here is a blessing and I'm thankful for the opportunity. I told him when he offered me the job that I got his back and I'm gonna do everything I can do to win the conference."

Excited to officially welcome @QB_CoachColeman as our offensive coordinator 🫡

🔗 https://t.co/5tp75Sih2d pic.twitter.com/OxR3ArCVJT
— FIU Football (@FIUFootball) January 7, 2025

Some of Coleman's past quarterback projects have included current New Orleans Saint Spencer Rattler, and most recently, Jacob Zeno at UAB. Coleman will now have an opportunity to work with Keyone Jenkins, who he considers to be the biggest recruit that FIU brought back for 2025. Coleman noted several similarities between Jenkins and Zeno, who is now at Texas A&M.

"Keyone is a little bit more explosive as a runner," said Coleman. "Jacob [Zeno] may be a little bit taller and longer, but their accuracy and their throwing ability to me is something that he does really well and that's something that's hard to teach. Guys are covered, but can you throw them open. I think that's what Keyone does a good job of. He can throw people open that are covered and that comes with experience."

For the past five years, Coleman has been running an NFL-style offense with plenty of air raid concepts. That can potentially be the case once again, depending on what comes out of Coleman and his staff watching tape.

"The best coaches have to adapt to their players and that's what we're going to do," said Coleman. "We'll try to put our guys in the best chance to be successful. We'll evaluate our guys, evaluate what they do best. We'll see where their strengths are, where their weaknesses are, try to build up any of those weaknesses. Our look next season is going to depend on our personnel."

One name that has constantly been popping up during Coleman's film studies has been redshirt freshman Devonte Lyons. In four games last season, the St. Augustine native ran for 288 yards and two touchdowns. He was the only running back to rush for 100 yards in a game.

"We're excited about him, excited about his growth that he can take with this spring, this offseason with the new offense, growing in the weight room, growing in the speed and agility aspect of it, we're super excited."

For the 2025 class, FIU has already landed a notable quarterback commitment out of Georgia in Christian Langford. In his senior season, Langford completed 175 passes for 3,253 yards, 38 touchdowns and four interceptions. He finished his high school career with 310 completions for 5,319 yards, 66 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.

Coleman and the Panthers are set to begin spring practice on Tuesday, March 4 with the spring game scheduled for Saturday, April 5.

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