MIAMI – The FIU football program has announced its support staff under head coach Willie Simmons, including a new position of General Manager and Director of Player Personnel, which will be held by Jose Jefferson, who played five years of professional football and brings a wealth of coaching experience at various levels.
 
Joining Jefferson as new members of the support staff are LaTroy Johnson (Assistant Athletic Director/Football Operations), Donald Reed (Head Football Equipment Manager), Noah Catanzarite (Assistant Director of Football Equipment), Matt Hickmann (Director of Strength and Conditioning), Bryan Crawford (Analyst) and Ayeo Randolph (analyst).
 
Returning to the Panthers' support staff is KD Willis, who is the Director of Recruiting and the Football Operations Coordinator, Cam DiFede (Director of Player Personnel/Recruiting), Alyse King (Associate Trainer) Kevin Chavez (Assistant Director of Football Operations) and Manny Rivero (Video Coordinator).
 
Jefferson arrives at FIU after serving as the Director of Team Operations for the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL for the last three seasons (2022-24).  He also served as the executive director of the "The College Gridiron Showcase" – which is the initial major all-star event of the college football postseason.
 
"I am very excited to start this new adventure with Coach Simmons and the entire FIU Football Family and Athletic Staff," Jefferson said.  "I am ready to tackle this new role in college football and make it the best I can.  Paws Up!"
 
Jefferson's previous professional coaching experience includes stints with the Lincoln Lightning (IFL & AF2), Lincoln Capitals (NIFL), Sioux Falls Storm (IFL), Sioux City Bandits (UIF) and Colorado Crush (IFL).
 
In the college ranks, Jefferson coached for 10 seasons as an assistant at Nebraska Wesleyan, Midland University and University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.  He also previously was a track and field coach at Viterbo University.
 
Jefferson played five years of professional football.  He attended camp with the Cardinals and the Chiefs of the NFL before playing with the Arizona Rattlers for two seasons (1993-94) and the Iowa Barnstormers for three seasons (1995-97), where he teamed up with NFL legend Kurt Warner.
 
Johnson joins the support staff after holding the position of Assistant Athletic Director and Chief of Staff for the South Carolina State football program in 2024.  Prior to that he served for three years as the Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations/Chief of Staff at Florida A&M during which time the Rattlers were 2023 HBCU National Champions.

"To God be the glory," Johnson said.  "It is truly an amazing honor to join this amazing University and this outstanding athletic department here at FIU and be a part of Coach Simmons' inaugural staff.  The opportunity to work alongside him and the great group of coaches and support staff that he has assembled.  It is truly an honor and a blessing.  I look forward to hitting the ground running and meeting all of Panther Nation.  Paws Up!"
 
He also served in a similar role at Jackson State and was the Director of Equipment Operations at Mississippi Valley State, Tennessee State, Morgan State, Arkansas Pine Bluff, Middle Tennessee and South Carolina State.
 
Hickmann arrives at FIU following six years at Middle Tennessee where he led the Blue Raiders strength and conditioning program.  Prior to his time in Murfreesboro, Hickman spent two years at North Carolina State as the assistant strength and conditioning coordinator for football. 
 
Hickmann is a 2008 graduate of Cumberland (Tenn.) University with a B.S. degree in fitness and wellness, with a minor in strength and conditioning. He played defensive back, lettering three seasons and earning all-conference honors.
              
Following graduation, he interned at Cumberland University working with football and then joined the Vanderbilt University strength and conditioning program, working specifically with the Commodore football and baseball programs.
              
In 2010, Hickmann was named Director of Strength and Conditioning at Cumberland, where he worked with all university sports, including the Bulldogs' 2010 conference championship and top-25 football team (NAIA), 2010 national championship baseball squad, and two All-American wrestlers, including a 157-pound national champion.
              
He spent one year at Furman University, assisting with football and was the Director of Strength and Conditioning for women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's and women's golf, and men's and women's tennis. Hickmann also spent three seasons at Georgia Tech, working with football from 2012-2014, 2014 Orange bowl Champions, and assisting in every aspect of player development.
              
Hickmann also trained mixed martial arts athletes and competed at the amateur level earning a 3-0 record. A native of Fort Myers, Fla., Hickmann is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), a Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC) through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa), and a PN Level 1 Certified Coach through Precision Nutrition. Reflexive Performance Reset Level 1 certified.
              
Hickmann, who is a certified John Maxwell leadership coach and speaker, is in the process of completing his BioForce Conditioning certification.
 
TICKETS
Season Tickets are on sale now for the opening season of the Willie Simmons Era at FIU.  Get your tickets today!
Call 305-FIU-GAME or visit the FIU Athletics Online Ticket Office.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIU.Football on Instagram and @FIUFootball on Twitter and Facebook.
 
General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.