Sims hired as new HC at Missouri Southern State

Photo by Adam Shrimplin

Garden City, KS-For all Jeff Sims’ accomplishments in eight years as coach in the Jayhawk Conference, none mean more to him than moving his guys on to the next level. Now it’s he, who gets the opportunity in the NCAA ranks.

Sims was named the new Head Football Coach at D-II Missouri Southern State during a press conference on Sunday afternoon. He will coach the Broncbusters in the national championship game before leaving on Dec. 1.

“I’m a pretty fiery guy,” Sims said to a room full of reporters on Sunday. “This was a dream come true for me. I’ve wanted to be at Missouri Southern State for a long time.”

Sims resume speaks for itself. He turned a 1-7, fledgling program into a national power 12 months later. He guided Garden City to a perfect 11-0 record and the school’s first national championship in 2016. The following season, his team was ranked as high as No. 2 and reached the Heart of Texas Bowl. This year, the Broncbusters are 10-0 with a match up vs. defending national champion East Mississippi looming in the NJCAA Championship Game.

“For the next three weeks, I’m going to give everything I have to Garden City so we can go win the national title,” Sims said. “On Dec 1, I am going to give everything I have to Missouri Southern.”

Sims takes over a Lions squad that went 1-10 this season. They were shutout five times including their last three games where they outscored 120-0. But that’s nothing new for him. When Sims became Head Coach at Garden City, the Broncbusters were coming off an 84-21 loss to Coffeyville in the 2014 regular-season finale.

“I need everyone to buy in,” Sims said. “People want to talk about how they support the program. Show me.”

Before Sims arrived in Garden City, he had stops at Indiana (director of player personnel) and Florida Atlantic (assistant under Carl Pelini). But his biggest mark before landing in Finney County came when revived a Fort Scott program that was the doormats of the Jayhawk Conference. In 2009, he guided them to the NJCAA Championship Game where only a punt return for a touchdown in the final minute by Blinn, stopped him from hoisting the hardware again.

“I want to thank everyone at Garden City for giving me an opportunity to coach there,” Sims said. “They took a chance on me, and I will forever be grateful to them.”

Sims sports a 32-12 record in four seasons with Garden City, and with a win over East Mississippi, would move him just a game back of Jeff Leiker on the school’s all-time wins list.