Willie Simmons is drawing ever closer to filling out his inaugural FIU staff, and he’s working to add another member from Trent Dilfer’s UAB staff.
Sources tell FootballScoop that Simmons is snagging Kenneth Gilstrap to coach the FIU safeties and also work with special teams.
It’s yet another element from Simmons’s early coaching days at MTSU. Gilstrap played for the Blue Raiders while Simmons was on staff as a top offensive assistant coach.
The pending addition of Gilstrap continues Simmons’s turn to his Blue Raiders past.
As FootballScoop first reported earlier Tuesday, Simmons is working to finalize deals with Nick Coleman from UAB to run the Panthers offense and with Rick Stockstill to coach the team’s tight ends.
Simmons, Coleman, Gilstrap and Stockstill all share MTSU history together, with Coleman and Gilstrap players under Stockstill while Simmons was there on staff.
Gilstrap has had success working with defensive backs as a coach; his MTSU units set some school records, and in 2023 at UAB the Blazers defense was top-10 nationally in fumbles recovered and also forced more than 20 turnovers, per Gilstrap’s bio.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest coaching news.