Florida International football has a new head coach. Willie Simmons is the new head coach for the Panthers, per 247 Sports. Simmons comes to Florida International from Duke, where he served as running backs coach.

Simmons was previously the head coach at Florida A&M. The coach posted a 39-8 record his final four seasons at that school.

Florida International fired coach Mike MacIntyre on December 1. MacIntyre left the school with a 12-24 record, after three consecutive 4-8 seasons.

“This was a decision based solely off on-field results, and at this time I felt our program needed to go in a different direction,” Florida International athletic director Scott Carr said about that decision, per the school. “While we have been more competitive on the field each of the last three seasons, unfortunately our win-loss record is not indicative of those statistical improvements. Winning championships and bowl games is our goal. With that standard in place, a comprehensive national search for a new head coach will begin immediately, and I will have no further comment until that process is completed.”

Florida International football will now rely on Simmons to lead the team to a Conference USA championship.

Florida International football hasn't had success in recent years

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Florida International is one of the toughest jobs in college football. The school has won just 34 percent of its total games as a program. Its lone conference championship came in 2010, when the school won the Sun Belt.

The program has actually had some great coaches, despite its struggles. Florida International football's roster of coaches in program history include Mario Cristobal and Butch Davis. The Panthers have been to five total bowl games, and won two of them. All of the bowl games came with either Cristobal or Davis leading the squad.

Simmons will now be tasked with finding success. He did a solid job at Duke, where he worked for one season with the Blue Devils. Duke finished the 2024 campaign with a 9-3 record, and will play in a bowl game. Simmons also served as the head coach at Prairie View A&M.

Javan Dewitt had been serving as interim coach after Florida International football parted ways with MacIntyre.