THE SIMS FILE

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Birthdate: Nov. 8, 1985
Hometown: Union, South Carolina
Education: Pikeville, 2010 (bachelor's in history and political science)
Playing Experience: Pikeville (2006-08)
Wife: Lauren
Children: Amayah, Alivia

COACHING HISTORY

2010: Millersville (Pa.) University, Tight Ends
2011: University of Pikeville (Ky.), Running Backs
2012: Carson-Newman, Running Backs/Video Coordinator
2013-15: Western Carolina, Running Backs/Director of Player Development
2016-18: James Madison, Running Backs
2019-20: East Carolina, Running Backs
2021-22: Louisville, Running Backs
2023: Cincinnati, Running Backs
2024-present: Tennessee, Running Backs

POSTSEASON APPEARANCES

2024 CFP First Round – Tennessee
2022 Fenway Bowl – Louisville
2021 First Responder Bowl – Louisville
2018 FCS Playoffs, Second Round – James Madison
2017 FCS Playoffs, National Runner-Up – James Madison
2016 FCS Playoffs, National Champions – James Madison
2012 NCAA Division II Playoffs – Carson-Newman

updated summer 2025

De’Rail Sims, who has guided FBS top 10 rushing units in back-to-back seasons, enters his second year as Tennessee’s running backs coach. He officially joined Josh Heupel’s staff on Feb. 20, 2024.

Sims has coached running backs for over a decade with successful tenures at Tennessee (2024-present), Cincinnati (2023), Louisville (2021-22), East Carolina (2019-20), James Madison (2016-18) and Western Carolina (2013-15).

Sims made a strong first impression on Rocky Top as he coached the 2024 SEC Offensive Player of the Year Dylan Sampson, who compiled the most prolific rushing season in UT history. Sampson’s vision, patience and leadership were on full display during Sims’ first year that saw the Volunteers reach their first-ever College Football Playoff and win 10-regular season games.

Sampson shattered five UT single-season records, including rushing touchdowns (22), consecutive games with a rushing score (11), rushing yards (1,491), total touchdowns scored (22) and points scored (132). The Baton Rouge native became the sixth running back in SEC history to be named SEC Player of the Year. His 22 rushing scores tied for fifth in SEC single-season annals, and he was named a second-team All-American and first-team All-SEC recipient. Sampson rose to the occasion in big games, becoming just the second player in school history with 10 100-yard rushing contests in a season.

Sims’ protégé would see his NFL Draft dreams come to fruition in the spring of 2025 when Sampson was selected with the No. 126 overall pick in the fourth round by the Cleveland Browns.

Sims’ knack for player development didn’t stop with Sampson. Redshirt freshman and local Knoxville standout DeSean Bishop burst onto the scene in 2024 with 455 yards on 74 carries and three touchdowns. His 6.15 yards per carry ranked third in the SEC. True freshman Peyton Lewis added 339 yards on 64 carries with three scores. Together, Sims’ group paced a Tennessee rushing attack that led the SEC and ranked ninth in the FBS with 225.8 yards per game. The 2,936 total rushing yards were the second-most in school history and the most since Gen. Robert Neyland’s 1951 team recorded 3,068.

Sims has coached a single-season 1,000-yard rusher in back-to-back seasons.

Sims’ one season at Cincinnati saw the Bearcats rank fifth nationally in rushing, averaging 217.1 yards per game. Cincinnati rushed for more than 200 yards in nine games in an attack spearheaded by junior running back Corey Kiner. Under Sims’ tutelage, Kiner became the 20th 1,000-yard rusher in UC history, finishing 2023 with 1,047 yards on 192 carries and five touchdowns.

UC’s top three running backs – Kiner, senior Ryan Montgomery and sophomore Myles Montgomery combined to rush for 1,804 yards on 312 carries for a stellar 5.8 yards per rush average. Kiner rushed for 100 yards six times, while Ryan Montgomery reached the century mark twice and Myles Montgomery once.

Prior to the 2023 season, Sims was selected to participate in the NFL’s Bill Walsh Coaching Fellowship where he worked with Los Angeles Chargers over the summer.

Prior to Cincinnati, Sims was instrumental for a Louisville offense that finished in the top 25 nationally in each of his two seasons. In 2022, the Cardinals rushed for 200.6 yards per game, good for second in the ACC and 23rd nationally. In 2021, Louisville finished 18th in the FBS with 212.9 rush yards per game, while scoring 29 touchdowns on the ground. It averaged an ACC-best 5.45 yards per game.

Sims previously served as a running backs coach at East Carolina for the 2019 and 2020 seasons where he mentored AAC Rookie of the Year Rahjai Harris, who gained 628 yards and scored four touchdowns over eight games, collecting all-league honors along the way. During his first year at ECU, he led his corps to their highest single-season rushing yardage total (1,696) since 2014.

Sims coached three seasons at James Madison where his teams combined for a 28-2 record, winning the FCS National Championship in 2016 and finishing runner-up in 2017. In leading the Dukes to unprecedented success, Sims oversaw a rushing attack that ranked fourth nationally in rushing touchdowns (108), sixth in rushing yards (9,422) and 13th in rushing yards per game (219.1) over his three-year term.

During the 2016 season, the Dukes rushed for a CAA-record 4,125 rushing yards and held FCS ranks of second in scoring (46.7 ppg), fourth in third-down conversions (50.0 percent), fifth in rushing average (275.0 ypg) and sixth in fewest fumbles lost (4). His unit turned in 18 individual 100-yard rushing performances, including 11 by All-America selection and Sports Network FCS National Player-of-the-Year Khalid Abdullah, who finished the season with 1,809 yards and 22 TDs – both school single-season records.

Sims spent three seasons at Western Carolina (2013-15) as the Catamounts’ running backs coach and director of player development where he directed a pair of WCU running backs to All-Southern Conference honors in Detrez Newsome and Darius Ramsey.

He earned an invitation to participate in the NCAA & NFL Coaches Academy in 2014, which is conducted by the NCAA Leadership Development staff and NFL Player Engagement and was also selected to the AFCA’s prestigious 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute.

Prior to his time at Western Carolina, Sims was the running backs coach and video coordinator at Carson-Newman in 2012, guiding the Eagles to a 9-3 record and the NCAA Division II playoffs before finishing the campaign with a nation-leading 380.0 rushing average and 52 rushing touchdowns.

Sims began his full-time collegiate coaching career at Millersville (2010) before returning to his alma mater Pikeville a year later.

The Union, South Carolina, native was a two-year starter at Pikeville, where he played from 2006-08 before joining the coaching staff as a student assistant working with the linebackers. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Pikeville in 2010.

Sims and his wife, Lauren, have two daughters, Amayah and Alivia.