Getty Images Blake Sims celebrates a touchdown as a member of the Crimson Tide
Former Crimson Tide quarterback Blake Sims, who retired from playing football in August 2022, has entered the high school football coaching ranks. On March 17, Sims announced with a tweet that he has accepted a position as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Mt. Bethel Christian Academy in Marietta, Georgia.
Psalms 32:8 #coach6
Mt. Bethel Christian Academy, a private school in Georgia, was founded in 1998 as a K-5 but expanded through grade 12 in 2014, according to East Cobb News. The school kicked off its football program in 2021, offering the sport to only fifth- and sixth-graders originally, the outlet reported. In 2022, the football program was expanded to include grades four through eight and the school looks ahead to launching junior varsity and varsity programs, according to East Cobb News.
Sims has been a member of the school’s staff for over a year, working with the middle school football team last season, but now takes a major leap to the high school level.
The former signal caller electrified fans with his play on Saturdays during his time with the Tide; can he find that same sort of success as a coach?
Sims Changed Alabama Football
A four-star prospect in the 2010 recruiting class hailing from Gainesville, Georgia, Sims suited up for the Tide from 2011-2014. Originally recruited as an athlete, Sims’ first three seasons in crimson and white saw him listed as both a running back and backup quarterback.
Serving as the backup to A.J. McCarron during Alabama’s absolutely dominant run of back-to-back national titles, Sims learned a lot about the quarterback position. As the spring of 2014 rolled around, fans began to wonder who the Tide would be suiting up that season under center.
GettyNick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates after a touchdown.
Sims put together a less than stellar performance at A-Day that year, completing just under half of his passes for 178 yards, a touchdown and 2 picks. Though it was obvious the athletic quarterback had many impressive tools at his disposal, his skills would need some serious tuning.
He managed to win the starting job by the end of fall camp, and with the help of first year offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin completely revolutionized Alabama’s offense. Gone were the days of 3 yards and a cloud of dust, replaced with a high-flying attack predicated on an athletic quarterback.
Sims compiled nearly 4,000 combined passing and rushing yards and led the Tide to a 10-1 regular season, SEC championship victory and berth in the inaugural College Football Playoff.
Though his incredible lone season as a starter has since been surpassed by the likes of Jalen Hurts and Bryce Young, Sims’ legacy remains within the Alabama football program.
Sims’ Career After Alabama
After leaving the Crimson Tide in 2014, Sims went undrafted. He bounced around in the CFL in 2015, seeing time with the Toronto Argonauts and Saskatchewan Roughriders, but was unable to secure a spot with either team.
Sims then spent time in Australia in the National Gridiron League playing for the Wollongong Devils in 2016, but his time down under was short lived. He joined the Atlanta Falcons practice squad in September of that same year but was released shortly after.
GettyBlake Sims throws a pass during the 2014 Iron Bowl.
His final stint with an NFL team came when Sims joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ practice squad after being cut from Atlanta. He signed a reserve/ future player contract with the team, but was released in August of 2017 before the start of the season.
Sims spent time with two more teams before his retirement in 2022, playing for the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football and the Frisco Fighters of the Indoor Football League.
Though he was unable to find his footing as a professional athlete, Sims will always be responsible for ushering in a new era of offensive football to Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide.