FSU announces staff changes: New roles for John Papuchis, Ernie Sims, Austin Tucker

Along with hiring several new assistant coaches, Florida State head coach Mike Norvell is making other changes to his coaching staff.

Veteran assistant coach John Papuchis, who has been on Norvell’s staff since they arrived in Tallahassee in 2020, will move from defensive ends coach to linebackers coach while also continuing to oversee the Florida State special teams.

That was one of three position changes announced Friday afternoon by Norvell.

In that new post, Papuchis will work closely with new assistant linebackers coach Ernie Sims. The former Seminole great Sims was on Norvell’s staff last season as a defensive analyst.

Florida State also is moving senior offensive analyst Austin Tucker into a new role as assistant wide receivers coach. In that position, he will work with new wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator Tim Harris Jr.

Papuchis’ move coincides with the arrival of new defensive line coach Terrance Knighton, the move of Odell Haggins to an off-field role, and the departure of former linebackers coach Randy Shannon.

Here is the full release from Florida State:

After five seasons coaching Florida State’s defensive ends, John Papuchis will shift to coach linebackers for the 2025 season while retaining his special teams coordinator duties, FSU head coach Mike Norvell announced Friday. Additionally, Ernie Sims will be FSU’s assistant linebackers coach and Austin Tucker will be the Seminoles’ assistant wide receivers coach.

“JP has a wealth of experience coaching linebackers,” Norvell said. “I’m excited for him to have a hands-on impact on that group while also continuing to be our special teams coordinator. He is an elite coach who has helped numerous players reach the NFL and guided one of the nation’s best special teams units throughout our time here.”

In his first five seasons at Florida State, Papuchis has coached seven All-Americans and 11 All-ACC performers. In 2024, Florida State became the first school in the history of the AFCA All-American Team to have both specialists earn first-team All-America acclaim courtesy of punter Alex Mastromanno and kicker Ryan Fitzgerald. Mastromanno led the nation in punting average with an ACC-record mark of 49.3 yards per punt, and his 30 punts of at least 50 yards were also the most in the country. Fitzgerald was a perfect 13-for-13 on field goal attempts, including 5-for-5 on 50+-yard field goals for the most 50-yard field goals in a season in program history.

Papuchis has developed disruptors on defense throughout his entire career, which includes five seasons as a defensive coordinator. Edge rusher Jared Verse became FSU’s first two-time first-team All-American on defense since 1995-96 after earning the honor in both seasons under Papuchis, and Jermaine Johnson II was a first-team All-American and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. Papuchis also oversaw the development of nine-year NFL veteran linebacker Will Compton and current Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker Cole Holcomb. His linebacker pupils list also includes NFL Draft picks Randy Gregory, Nate Gerry and Andre Smith.

Papuchis has coached in seven conference championship games, including Florida State’s win in 2023 to reach 13-0 for only the third time in FSU history. His players have earned 55 all-conference recognitions, four conference Player of the Year awards and one Rookie of the Year. He has coached 16 NFL Draft picks, highlighted by Verse’s selection at No. 19 overall by the Los Angeles Rams in 2024 and Johnson being taken 26th overall by the New York Jets in 2022, and nine All-Americans, including the first defensive player to earn Associated Press Player of the Year honors.

“Ernie Sims has tremendous experience coaching and playing the position at an elite level,” Norvell said. “He has been a valuable asset to our players with his knowledge of the game and his understanding and appreciation for the standard of play at Florida State. Having JP and Ernie together will create a phenomenal atmosphere for our linebackers to reach their full potential.”

Sims, an All-American linebacker at Florida State and the No. 9 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, has seven years of experience in collegiate coaching and is entering his second season on Florida State’s staff. He served as UCF’s linebackers coach in 2023 and guided Jason Johnson to first-team All-Big 12 recognition.

Sims was on staff at South Florida from 2020-22, spending the 2020 season as an analyst before being promoted to linebackers coach in 2021 and serving as the Bulls’ defensive coordinator for the final three games of the 2022 season. At South Florida, Sims coached Antonio Grier to second-team All-AAC recognition.

“Austin Tucker’s experience at the wide receiver position as a coach and player allows him to connect and develop our wide receiving corps at a high level,” Norvell said. “His time working within the program as well as his time previously with Coach Malzahn will be a benefit to our receivers. I’m excited to see Austin and Tim Harris Jr. working together with that group.”

Tucker enters his sixth season on FSU’s staff and seventh total year on a Norvell staff. Before joining Florida State, Tucker was the wide receivers coach at North Alabama for two seasons. In his first season with the Lions, he led a group that included four freshmen who combined to make 145 receptions for 1,861 yards and 14 touchdowns. In his second season, the quartet combined for 153 receptions, 2,475 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Tucker worked with the running backs for his first three seasons before moving to assist the quarterbacks prior to the 2023 season. That year, Florida State completed a 13-0 regular season and won the program’s first ACC championship since 2014 behind ACC Player of the Year and ACC Offensive Player of the Year Jordan Travis. Prior to his time at UNA, Tucker was a graduate assistant at Memphis in 2017 under Norvell and at Auburn in 2016 with current FSU offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.

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