As Willie Simmons seeks to deliver just the fifth winning season in program history and a first bowl berth in six years, the first-year FIU coach is making a key addition to his offensive staff, FootballScoop has learned.
Joe Henry, a former Arkansas player and assistant coach with work under some of college football's top offensive minds, is joining Simmons's inaugural FIU staff in a senior offensive role, sources tell FootballScoop. Henry is expected to help tutor the Panthers quarterbacks, per sources.
It's a reunion for the pair who were key in Florida A&M's record-setting success with Simmons at the helm and Henry orchestrating the offense.
In fact, during a three-season run from 2022-24 -- spanning the final two years of Simmons and the onset of James Colzie's work atop FAMU -- Henry's FAMU offense boasts 28 wins against fellow FCS competition and top-three rankings in SWAC scoring and total offense.
Having coached five different positions on the field, including extensive work with offensive lines, tight ends and now quarterbacks, Henry brings to the FIU staff a deep perspective to aid the Panthers rebuild.
Simmons inherits a program at FIU with a meager 13-40 record since 2020.
After playing at Arkansas, Henry has a pair of coaching stops at his alma mater -- his first role working with tight ends and then later for Sam Pittman as an analyst -- in addition to being on staff at SEC rival LSU, also in an analyst role for Ed Orgeron's program and Jake Peetz's offense.