The National Coalition of Minority Coaches named former Florida A&M head coach Willie Simmons as its 2023 Coach of the Year. Simmons accepted the award during a ceremony at the Coalition Convention in Las Vegas on Feb. 17. He later posted about the award on his ‘X' page.

“I'm extremely humbled to receive this most prestigious award from @NCMFC1! 2023 was a year to remember and I want to thank everyone who helped make it possible! God's immeasurable grace and mercy is on full display! Thank you @CoachLocks for continuing to fight the good fight!”

Simmons and Florida A&M had an impressive campaign in 2023. The Rattlers went 12-1, stumbling just once against the University of South Florida. After their sole loss in Week 2, Florida A&M won 11 games in a row, crushing their SWAC competition to their first conference championship. They followed up the conference championship with a big win over the Howard Bison in the Celebration Bowl.

Simmons and his team swept up the SWAC awards. Quarterback and NFL prospect Jeremy Moussa won Offensive Player of the Year, while his defensive counterpart Isaiah Major, a linebacker, won Defensive Player of the Year. Simmons earned SWAC Coach of the Year for guiding Florida A&M to a historically great season.