Former North Florida Christian Eagles and Florida State Seminoles football player Ernie Sims hosts his 16th Annual Big HITS Charity Weekend in Tallahassee, Florida Gerald Thomas / USA TODAY NETWORK

FSU Football's Ernie Sims Wants Championship Caliber Linebackers

Originally posted on Florida State Seminoles on SI
By Tommy Mire | Last updated Jan 22, 2026 2:32 PM ET

The Florida State Seminoles have undergone significant changes over the past two seasons as they continue to figure out what hasn't been working and what is. It will be year two under new coordinators, Tony White and Gus Malzahn, and one of the major areas of concern from a year ago was the linebacker group.

Former linebackers coach John Papuchis moved on from the program, opening the door for Florida State to elevate Ernie Sims. The Seminoles then hired Jake Rothschiller as assistant linebackers coach to fill Sims’ previous role, and the two are now set to hit the ground running in 2026.

Sims Wants Playmakers

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Sims has a storied history with Florida State. Being a Tallahassee, Florida, native. The former FSU All-American and No. 9 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft is entering his third season on Florida State’s staff after joining the staff in 2024. What he is looking for in his new room is based on his personality and measurable traits that fit within the system.

"We want to identify playmakers. We want to identify young men who have the measurables, have the length, but also have the heart, and they have the identity of a champion," Sims said. "They're aggressive. They're instinctive. They're alphas, and I think that is one thing through my pedigree that I'm excited to bring back to Florida State."

“When I was a player, I think I would have thrived in this system…We want to identify playmakers.”

LB coach @ErnieSims34’s full conversation with @jeffculhane is now available on the Seminoles Unconquered app

: https://t.co/pkSxrEX1q7
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— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) January 22, 2026

Sims Outlines the Ideal Linebacker

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Over an eight-year NFL career with the Lions, Eagles, Colts, and Cowboys, Sims played in 109 games and recorded 623 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 14 quarterback hurries, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and an interception. It is safe to say that the former All-American has taken his fair share of snaps on the gridiron. Sims believes he would've thrived in White's defensive scheme had he still been playing collegiate football today.

"When I was a player, I think that I would've thrived in this system," Sims continued. "With the speed, the aggressiveness, the instincts, the downhill playmaking ability, the ability to play three downs, the ability to be an impactful player in the run game, pass game, and as a blitzer on every single down. Ideally, that is what we strive for here with the system that we run."

The Seminoles landed former blue-chip linebacker recruit Izayia Williams and three-star prospects Karon Maycock and Noah LaVellee, alongside signing Chris Jones and Mikai Gbayor through the transfer portal. It will be up to Sims to reshape the linebacker room heading into fall.