Ernie Sims named FSU's interim defensive coordinator

The FSU Seminoles have officially announced the firings of defensive coordinator Tony White and safeties coach Evan Cooper.

They also revealed who will be taking on the roles of all three. Linebackers coach Ernie Sims has been elevated to interim defensive coordinator, and assistant defensive backs coach Greg Moss will coach safeties. Offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Tim Harris Jr. will now call the plays on offense, which Norvell did for the first eight games.

Sims is in his first season as FSU's linebacker coach after being the assistant linebackers coach in 2025 and a defensive analyst in 2024. The Tallahassee native was an All-American linebacker at FSU in 2004, finishing his three-year career with 200 tackles, 21.0 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, two interceptions, one fumble recovery, and one blocked kick.

He started his coaching career in 2018 as a strength & conditioning coordinator at FAU before becoming their director of operations in 2019. He was an analyst for USF in 2020 before becoming their linebackers coach in 2021 and 2022. He spent the 2023 season as the linebackers coach at UCF before joining FSU.

Moss is in his fifth season on FSU's coaching staff, having been hired as a defensive analyst in February of 2022. He was named a senior analyst in 2023 and assistant defensive backs coach in 2025.

Harris was hired as FSU's wide receivers coach in 2025 and named the offensive coordinator in 2026 after Gus Malzahn retired. He was UCF's co-offensive coordinator from 2021-22 and offensive coordinator in 2024.