ORLANDO - Ernie Sims, former NFL linebacker and top-10 draft pick and most recently an assistant coach at South Florida, has been named UCF linebackers coach, head coach Gus Malzahn announced Saturday.
"We're excited to welcome Ernie, his wife Brooke and their four children to the UCF family," said Malzahn. "Ernie had an incredible playing career, both in the NFL as a top draft pick and in college here in the state of Florida. He's one of the top young coaches and will do a great job coaching our linebackers."
Sims joins the Knights following three seasons at South Florida, serving as linebackers coach the last two years and co-defensive coordinator for the 2022 season. He was promoted to linebackers coach in January 2021 after joining the USF staff in 2020 as a defensive analyst. He went on to serve as co-defensive coordinator for the final game of the 2021 season and defensive coordinator for the final three games of 2022.
Under his direction, USF linebacker Dwayne Boyles recorded a career-best 108 tackles this season and led the Bulls with 10 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. His 108 tackles were the third most in the American Athletic Conference. Boyles' season tackle total ranked eighth in program history, and he increased his career tackle total to 315, good for seventh all-time at USF. He was tabbed an All-AAC selection by Phil Steele in 2022.
Sims began his collegiate coaching career as part of Lane Kiffin's staff at Florida Atlantic as an assistant strength and conditioning coordinator in 2018. FAU promoted Sims to director of football operations in 2019 and the Owls went on to post an 11-3 record that year, winning the Conference USA championship before defeating SMU in the Boca Raton Bowl.
The ninth overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, Sims played eight NFL seasons with four teams, finishing his NFL playing career with the Dallas Cowboys in 2013. The Tallahassee, Florida, native recorded 623 tackles, 5.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and an interception during his playing career. He started all 16 games in his rookie season in 2006 with the Lions, collecting 124 tackles. Sims was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team that season. The Lions named him a team captain prior to the 2007 campaign.
He posted 100 or more tackles in each of his first three seasons with the Lions before he was traded to Philadelphia in 2010. He played that season with the Eagles, 2011 with Indianapolis and 2012-13 with Dallas.
A Parade and USA Today prep All-American at North Florida Christian High School in Tallahassee, Sims was rated the No. 1 recruit in the nation by Rivals prior to signing with Florida State in 2003.
At Florida State, Sims played for the late Bobby Bowden and made an instant impact in his freshman season, playing all 13 games including the Orange Bowl. The following year, he was named an ESPN first-team All-American in 2004 and a second-team All-ACC selection after posting 86 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 4.5 quarterback sacks. He was named a Sporting News preseason All-American prior to the 2005 campaign and went on to post 72 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks while helping lead the Seminoles back to the Orange Bowl. He entered the NFL Draft following his junior campaign and completed his Florida State career with 200 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and seven sacks in three seasons.
Following his NFL career, Sims started the Big Hits Foundation to mentor youth and returned to Florida State to complete his degree in social science in 2018.
Sims and his wife, Brooke, have four children: Ernie IV (11), Major (8), Savannah (5) and welcomed their fourth child Bella on Wednesday.