De'Rail Sims - Football Coach - James Madison University Athletics

De'Rail Sims

Title:
Running Backs
Email:
simsjd@jmu.edu
Phone:
540-568-6517
Physical Address:
Plecker APC 218 (220 Champions Dr.) / MSC 2201

De’Rail Sims was hired at James Madison University in February 2016 as an assistant coach working with the running backs.

JMU's run game has proven to be one of the top units in the FCS in each of the past two years, which included a record-breaking 2016 season.

In 2017, the Dukes were 25th nationally with 194.3 rushing yards per game. A pair of running backs earned postseason honors, as Trai Sharp was a Third Team All-CAA selection and Marcus Marshall was voted All-State after a strong postseason.

The team ran for 2,914 yards, with 2,501 coming from JMU's running backs. Marshall led a balanced rushing attack with 874 yards and a CAA-leading 11 touchdowns, while Sharp had 759 yards and four scores. Three others ran for over 250 yards.

The Dukes turned in a pair of 400-yard rushing performances, including 472 against Norfolk State, which produced seven rushing touchdowns. The Dukes also ran for 410 yards and four scores in the season-opening win at FBS-foe ECU. JMU had five games with at least three rushing scores and four games over 250 yards.

In his first season with the Dukes, the running game proved to be one of the nation’s best, as it broke the Colonial Athletic Association single-season record with 4,125 rushing yards. JMU ranked second in the FCS in scoring (46.7), fourth in third-down conversions (50%), fifth in rushing average (275.0), sixth in fumbles lost (4) and eighth in turnover margin (1.13).

The Dukes produced 18 100-yard rushing performances from the strong rushing attack, including a team-high 11 from All-American running back Khalid Abdullah.

Under Sims’ tutelage, Abdullah turned in one of the best individual seasons in JMU rushing history. Finsihing eighth in the final voting for the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award, Abdullah rushed for 1,809 yards and 22 touchdowns, setting program single-season records in both categories. He also broke records for scoring (150) and total touchdowns (25) in 2016, while becoming JMU’s all-time leader in career rushing touchdowns (41), total touchdowns (45) and career scoring (270). He also capped his career with the second-most rushing yards by any Duke in history, at 3,678.

Following the season, the First Team All-CAA running back was named American Sports Network FCS National Player of the Year. He recorded the 15th and final 100-yard game of his career in the national championship game, as he was named the Most Outstanding Player after scoring twice in JMU’s triumph over Youngstown State.

JMU’s rushing attack was deep in 2016, as three others in Cardon Johnson, Trai Sharp and Taylor Woods combined for 1,592 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground. In JMU’s season-opening 80-7 win against Morehead State, JMU rushed for a program-record 10 rushing touchdowns with all four running backs scoring touchdowns.

Sims came to Harrisonburg from Western Carolina, where he spent three years at as the running backs coach and director of player development (2013-15). During his time with the Catamounts, he helped the program to back-to-back winning seasons. WCU's ground game improved each season Sims was on staff, as the team combined to rush for 4,016 yards and 42 touchdowns in 2015 and 2016.

He led a pair of running backs to All-Southern Conference accolades as Detrez Newsome was a First Team All-SoCon selection in 2015 and an All-Rookie pick in 2014, while Darius Ramsey was a Second Team pick in 2014. Ramsey was also a 2014 Capital One Academic All-American. Prior to the 2015 season, Sims added the player personnel position to his duties, as he handled most of the team’s community service initiatives.

Also during the offseason following the 2014 season, Sims was selected to attend the prestigious NCAA and NFL Coaches Academy put on by the NCAA Leadership Development staff and National Football League Player Engagement.

Prior to WCU, Sims coached the running backs and additionally served as the video coordinator at Division II power Carson-Newman for one season (2012). He helped the Eagles to a 9-3 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals. Sims coached one All-American in Brandon Baker after he rushed for 1,468 yards and 13 touchdowns. The C-N rushing attack led Division II, averaging nearly 380 yards per game and 52 touchdowns on the ground. The 52 rushing scores were the most by any school across all NCAA divisions.

Sims also had a pair of one-year stints at his alma mater Pikesville (2009, 2011) and at Millersville (2010).

A native of Union, S.C., Sims was a two-year starter at Pikesville, where he played from 2006-08. He began his collegiate coaching career in 2009 at Pikesville as a student assistant, working with the outside linebackers. Sims graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science.