When the 2026 season begins, Devante Sims will begin his third season as an assistant coach for Tarleton State Football leading the cornerbacks.
The defensive backfield thrived under Sims in 2025, with defensive back Kasyus Kurns posting one of the best seasons by a defensive player in program history. Sims was instrumental in guiding Kurns to the Stats Perform FCS All-America Team. Kurns was also a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the most outstanding defensive player in FCS. Under Sims’ watch, Kurns earned a spot on the All-UAC First Team Defense. Kurns was also second in the nation among all FCS players in interceptions per game (0.55), co-leading FCS defensive backs in interceptions (6). Another defensive back obtained All-Conference honors in 2025 with Sims’ help, with Omar Emmons collecting a spot on the All-UAC Second Team Defense.
On the Tarleton State Football staff during the historic season in 2025, the Texans posted its best season in the Division era. The Texans won a share of the United Athletic Conference title, earned the No. 4 seed in the FCS Playoffs, and advanced to the quarterfinals in just their second year of playoff eligibility as a Division I program. Tarleton State began the season winning a pair of nationally televised games (42-0 at Portland State on ESPN2 during Week 0, 30-27 OT at Army on CBS Sports Network during Week 1), and were ranked as high as No. 2 in the national polls. With an overtime win against Austin Peay on Nov. 22, the Texans clinched a share of the UAC Championship. It was Tarleton State's third conference championship in the past eight seasons, and the Texans' sixth conference championship as an NCAA institution. The 2025 conference title marked Tarleton State Football's first conference championship in the NCAA Division I era, and Tarleton State Athletics' second regular season conference championship in the D1 era (Tennis in 2022). When the Selection Show came around, it was no surprise to see Tarleton State’s name in the playoff field. The Texans not only earned a first-round bye, but also earned its highest-ever playoff seed as a Division I program. Tarleton State clinched its 12th win of the season with their victory in the second round of the FCS Playoffs, matching the most in a single season in program history. The United Athletic Conference co-champions, the No. 4 seed in the FCS Playoffs, reached the final eight for the first time in their Division I history. Tarleton State was just the first FCS team since 1993 (Troy) to make the FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals in its first two seasons of playoff eligibility (8+ team format in FCS). The Texans are the first active FCS program to accomplish that feat since 1985 (Eastern Washington). The Texans were ranked No. 6 in both the final Stats Perform Top 25 Poll and the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.
The Texans posted a historic campaign in 2024, going 10-4 overall and 6-2 in United Athletic Conference play, winning their FCS Playoffs debut against Drake before dropping a tight contest at No. 4 South Dakota in Vermillion in the second round. On Nov. 30, 13-seed Tarleton State hosted Drake in the first round of the FCS Playoffs winning 43-29 at Memorial Stadium. The Texans became the fifth team in the history of the FCS Playoffs (Division I-AA Playoffs), which goes back 46 years, to win their first playoff game at the FCS level in their first year eligible after reclassifying from NCAA Division II. Two of those five teams comprised of the four-team playoff field in that initial round of the FCS Playoffs – Florida A&M and UMass, in 1978. The other two programs are currently in the FBS; Troy in 1993 and UCF in 1990. The Texans earned the No. 13 seed in the FCS Playoffs among the 24-team field across 129 FCS programs in just their first year of championship eligibility. They had become just the first team fresh off of reclassification to make the playoffs since 2009 (South Dakota State). Tarleton State was named No. 12 in the final AFCA FCS Coaches Poll of the season, and No. 13 in the final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll of the season. Tarleton State was ranked in both polls every single week of the 2024 campaign, from the preseason through the postseason. The Texans were just one of 11 teams nationwide to never leave the polls, joined by Idaho, Illinois State, Montana, Montana State, North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, UC Davis, UIW and Villanova. Tarleton State started 2024 7-1, with a six-game winning streak, their best start and their longest winning streak in the D1 era. Sims’ group helped the defense rank tied-third in the country in takeaways with 29 (first in conference), including the tied-fifth most interceptions (18) and tied-eighth most fumble recoveries (11). The Texans were second in the conference in scoring defense, allowing just 24.6 points per game. Tarleton State allowed fewer than 20 points in six different games, including a 42-0 shutout on Homecoming against the UAC’s Utah Tech. Defensive backs Kasyus Kurns and Donta Stuart earned UAC All-Conference Second Team.
"I'm excited to be a part of the Texan family and help serve these young men and continue the winnings ways that Coach Whitten has established for this program while having the ability to continue to learn and develop under the proven leader that Coach [Tyrone] Nix is on the defensive side of the football," Sims said at the time of his hiring. "My family is excited to get to Stephenville."
Sims spent 2023 as Pittsburg State's defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach. He helped the Gorillas reach the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs after winning the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association conference with an 11-2 record. His defense had a knack for frustrating quarterbacks. The unit held their opponents to 180.7 passing yards per game in 2023, and they led all of NCAA Division II teams in interceptions with 22.
Prior to coaching the Gorillas, Sims was the defensive backs coach at Angelo State for two seasons. In 2022, ASU's defense was one of the top units in Division II, ranking top five nationally in total defense (No. 1), interceptions (No. 1), defensive passing efficiency (No. 2), scoring defense (No. 4) and passing yards allowed (No. 4). He helped the Rams win the Lone Star Conference Championship with a 12-1 record, and they advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
Sims also spent time at Eastern New Mexico State from 2019-2021 as the defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator.
Sims began his collegiate coaching career as a cornerbacks coach at Thiel College in 2016 and at Angelo State in 2017. The Florida native played defensive back at Lake Erie College from 2011-2014. He was a three-year starter, compiling 114 career tackles and has the third most pass breakups in school history.
Devante Sims is married to Anya Sims, and the couple has two kids, Amina and Devante “Zo”.
