The University of Miami Hurricanes on Friday officially announced the hiring of Jess Simpson as its defensive line coach. Simpson replaces Craig Kuligowski, who accepted a job last week with Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
“We are excited to welcome Jess to our Miami family,” Hurricanes coach Mark Richt said in a release. “He has proven to be a great leader of men, and he brings a high level of energy, enthusiasm and expertise to our coaching staff.”
In two seasons, Kuligowski helped turned Miami’s defensive line into one of the best in the country.
Simpson is known primarily as one of the most successful coaches in Georgia prep football history. He went 164-12 in 12 years as head coach at Buford High in Georgia, winning seven state titles in the process.
More recently, Simpson was a defensive assistant with the Atlanta Falcons last season. Prior to that, he served as the defensive line coach and assistant head coach for Georgia State in 2016.
“On every front, we are really excited,” Simpson said in the release. “This is really turning the page and starting a new chapter for me and my family. Ultimately it was about the people and certainly this decision — to work for Mark Richt and having this opportunity at Miami in the defensive line room —was too good to pass up.
“Just saying that sentence — ‘working in the defensive line room at the University of Miami’ — is such a mouthful because of the greatness that has come from that room. I know the rich tradition of success, the types of players and defensive linemen that have come through the room and had an impact at this level and on the NFL level. We have some super talented kids in our room, incredible kids coming to join us this fall and then even more in the future. We have something special going on, and I’m honored to be a part of it.”
This story was originally published March 02, 2018 12:33 PM.