Patke, Simpson Bring New Vibe to Defensive Coaching Staff
By David Villavicencio
HurricaneSports.com
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – There are some new faces on the Greentree Practices Fields this spring.
The Hurricanes welcomed two new members to the coaching staff, as Jonathan Patke was added as the outside linebackers coach and Jess Simpson joined the staff to take over as the defensive line coach.
Patke was elevated to the coaching staff after spending the previous two seasons as a quality control analyst for the Canes. A former linebacker at Stephen F. Austin, Patke had worked with defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and came to Coral Gables after Diaz joined head coach Mark Richt’s staff prior to the 2016 season.
“It’s an unbelievable breakthrough [in my career],” Patke said. “That’s’ what you work for. For four years I was a graduate assistant, two as a quality control [coach], and all you work for is that first opportunity; and it was an unbelievable opportunity to be here at Miami with Coach Richt and Coach Diaz, so I’m so blessed that it happened here. The first job is the hardest and now that I have that on my resume, it’s unbelievable and that’s what you work for.”
Simpson came to Miami after a year with the Atlanta Falcons, where he served as a defensive assistant under head coach Dan Quinn. A legendary high school coach in Georgia, Simpson spent 22 years on the Buford High School coaching staff – 12 years as head coach – and helped the Wolves win 10 state titles, seven when he was the head coach. Simpson compiled a 164-12 (.932) record while holding the title of head coach at Buford.
“It’s been a great transition because the people are great,” Simpson said. “Obviously, I’ve known Coach Richt for a long time. I’ve said my whole life to kids, your people decisions in life are your most important decisions. Picking a guy like Mark Richt and as somebody to work for—and I’ve been blessed my whole life to be around great people like that. That part of it was a no-brainer, [as was] being at The U and the d-line tradition and the players that have come out of here and then the whole staff, the guys on the defensive side of the ball. Manny [Diaz is] a great leader. Great guys in the room, great culture. So, we’re having a blast. I felt like it really didn’t take long to fit in. So, just a bunch of humble, hard-working guys, low ego, but a lot of fun so far.”
Miami players were excited to learn Patke was being promoted to the coaching staff and were quick to congratulate him and express their excitement to learn from him.
“It was awesome to receive all the texts from the players, because that’s who you do it for, it’s the guys,” Patke said. “When they announced it – I kind of knew already – but when they announced it, that’s when all the texts and all the love that the guys gave me just meant that I’m in the right place and working with the right guys. They are pumped just to be around good coaches and I guess that’s saying something about myself, and it’s good to be around great players, so I’m pleased to be working with those guys as linebackers.”
While Patke had been working in college football, Simpson’s career path was a bit different. After a legendary two decades in high school, he worked briefly at Georgia State before taking an opportunity with the Falcons. Now he feels at home as a member of the Hurricane family.
“It’s humbling. I feel blessed,” Simpson said. “I wanted to get into college for probably the last five or six years I was a high school coach, but I was coaching my sons. I have three sons and my two youngest played for me. I always said when I said no to jobs that I wanted to do personally that I might regret it, but I would never regret coaching my boys. The highlight of my coaching career for the rest of my life will be being on the grass with my sons and watching them grow up around ball and doing life with the coaches that I got to hire that spoke truth and did life with them. Just a blast, like a cool ride. Then, a year and a half ago, Shawn Elliott took the Georgia State job. So, I think it was five days after Jake’s last game at Buford, in December, I took the job at Georgia State as the d-line coach. Eight weeks later, DQ [Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn] called me and I just couldn’t say no to that. Then, a year later, here you are. It has been an interesting trajectory, but I’m one of those guys, I don’t think things happen on accident and I’m excited to be here working for [Mark Richt]. I’m excited to have the players that I’ve got. I’ve got great kids in my room and I’m excited about the culture we’re building in our room and about what we’re going to do here in the future.”
Simpson is excited about Miami’s defensive linemen and is looking forward to watching their progress this spring and leading up to fall camp.
“Obviously, I feel like I’ve got a lot work to do with everybody,” Simpson said. “I can’t wait until we get to the end of the spring and you get that summer time out here on the grass, horns aren’t blowing and you can slow down and teach a little slower. I always say, if you can’t teach, you can’t coach. I love getting [the opportunity to work with] these kids and walking and talking and teaching and seeing them connect the dots. Certainly, they’ve all got to get better. I’ve been really impressed with some of the older guys. Looking forward to getting Demetrius Jackson back healthy. We’ve been really fired up about Joe Jackson, the way he’s responded to what we’re doing and how we’re playing. He’s playing really hard. He’s been really tough out here. I’ve really enjoyed him. And some of those young guys that are coming on have done a good job. G[erald] Willis, like Joe, has set a great example. I don’t think either one of those guys have had a bad day in 10 days. They come out here with intent, ready to practice, ready to work, ready to be a day better. When you have old guys in your room that have that kind of approach to ball, it makes everything a lot easier.”
While Patke is working with Miami’s outside linebackers, he is especially active with the “strikers,” a hybrid position that Diaz has gotten involved in the Hurricanes’ scheme. Miami currently has former safeties Derrick Smith and Romeo Finley, as well as linebacker De’Andre Wilder, working at “striker” and Patke knows exactly what he wants to see from that group.
“The first thing he must do is be tough,” Patke said. “That’s what we say in all of our defense, ‘your toughness will play.’ What we try to do here in Miami – and we are blessed with speed here in south Florida – is try to get the fastest player on the field, and Derrick Smith and Romeo [Finley] are athletic coming from the safety room. We want to get the most speed out there and if they are going to play with physicality, it’s going to help our defense immensely.”
