Coach Tom Simi joined the Beaver football staff in the winter of 2023 and will be the assistant head coach for Minot State and offensive line coach.
Coach Simi joins the Minot State staff after spending the last previous seasons as an assistant for The Citadel in South Carolina, a NCAA Division I FCS program. While at the Citadel, Coach Simi coached All-Southern Conference OT Tereis Drayton.
Prior to joining the staff at The Citadel, Simi spent three seasons working alongside current Minot State head coach Ian Shields at Jacksonville University as the associate head coach and offensive line coach for the Dolphins. During his time at Jacksonville, the Dolphins’ ranked in the Top 5 nationally in rushing yards per game each season. During his first season (2017) the offense averaged 30 points per game, ranked in the top 5 in the nation in fewest sacks allowed, and three offensive linemen earned post-season honors. During the 2018 season, Jacksonville's offense ranked third nationally in rushing and two offensive linemen earned post-season honors. And in 2019, the team allowed just 3 sacks in the final 6 games of the season, the team was top 5 nationally in rushing, three offensive linemen earned post-season honors, and the team maintained a 3.0 GPA.
Simi also spent two seasons as the associate head coach and offensive line coach at Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), spent the 2013 season as an assistant coach at Army, and served as head coach for the USMA Prep School from 2009-12.
During the 2014 season, Lenoir-Rhyne went 11-0 during the regular season, won the South Atlantic Conference Championship, and finished No. 8 in the final NCAA Division II Top 25 poll. The team averaged 416 yards rushing per game and 37 points per game while allowing the 2nd-fewest sacks in the country led by All-American and Gene Upshaw Finalist Joseph Ray. In 2015, Lenoir-Rhyne was No. 1 in the national in rushing averaging 384 yards per game, again allowed the 2nd-fewest sacks, and Joseph Ray was once again a Gene Upshaw Award Finalist.
While at Army, Coach Simi's offensive line powered a run game that ranked 3rd in the nation during the 2014 season, and while head coach at the U.S. Military Academy Pre School, his teams went 23-13 overall and were 21-6 in his final three seasons (2010-2012).
Coach Simi's collegiate head-coaching duties began in 2008 when he took over the Feather River Junior College team in California after four seasons as offensive line coach. At Feather River Coach Simi's teams made 4 bowl appearances in 5 years with Coach Simi the head coach for the 2008 season. He also coached 3 All-State players (out of 72 California junior colleges) and 10 All-Conference offensive linemen, and guided 9 offensive linemen to scholarships at FBS and FCS programs.
Simi's coaching career began at his alma mater, Eastern Oregon, from 1997-2001 where his team finished in the NAIA Top 25 in 1998 and beat three Top 25 foes. In 1999, his Mountaineers were ranked in the Top 10 nationally in total offense and rushing offense. A four-year starter with the Mountaineers, where he earned his Bachelors in History, Simi also twice earned All-Conference honors.
Simi is married to Kathleen Simi, and has a daughter, Hannah, and a son, Caleb.
