De'Rail Sims - Football Coach - East Carolina University Athletics

De'Rail Sims

Title:
Assistant Coach - Running Backs
Email:
simsj18@ecu.edu
Phone:
(252) 737-4570

Follow @DeRailSims

Appointed to direct the Pirates’ running backs unit on Dec. 7, 2018 …
During first year at East Carolina, guided his corps to their highest single-season rushing yardage total (1,696) since 2014 ...
Developed rookie Demetrius Mauney, whose team-high 446 rushing yards marked the second-highest ground total ever tallied by a Pirate true freshman (Chris Johnson/561 in '04) ...
Ball security emphasis resulted in only three combined lost fumbles by entire RB unit during the 2019 season ...
Was James Madison's running backs coach in 2016, 2017 and 2018, helping the Dukes collectively stand 4th nationally in rushing TDs (108), 6th in rushing yards (9,422) and 13th in rushing yards per game (219.1) ...
Helped JMU's offense net 2,383 rushing yards (183.3 ypg) in 2018, which stood fourth in the Colonial Athletic Association and 45th nationally …
In 2017, James Madison was 25th nationally with 194.3 rushing yards per game, turned in a pair of 400-plus-yard outings (472 vs. Norfolk State, 410 vs. ECU) and accounted for at least three ground scores in five contests …
Guided his unit to a CAA-record 4,125 rushing yards in 2016 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) ...
Coached a group that turned in 18 individual 100-yard rushing performances in ‘16, 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) ...
Spent the 2013, 2014 and 2015 seasons at Western Carolina as the Catamounts’ running back coach and director of player development ...
Directed a pair of WCU running backs to All-Southern Conference honors – Detrez Newsome and Darius Ramsey ...
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 ...
Also selected to the AFCA’s prestigious 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute ...
Spent the 2012 season on the Carson-Newman staff as running backs coach and video coordinator ...
Helped the Eagles to a 9-3 record and the NCAA II playoffs before finishing the campaign with a nation-leading 380.0 rushing average and 52 ground scores ...
Began full-time collegiate coaching career at Millersville (2010) before returning to alma mater Pikeville a year later ...
The Union, S.C. 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) …
Earned a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Pikeville in 2010 ...
Age 35 (November 8).