Florida State linebacker coach Ernie Sims has a short but challenging list of demands for his linebacker segment.
He wants them to develop the “identity” of a Florida State linebacker.
The All-American and NFL first-round draft pick, whose father played for Bobby Bowden back in the day, knows what it means to be a Florida State linebacker, what it feels like, and is eager to help them enjoy that feeling one day too.
Sims listed four key ingredients to developing an “identity.”
Command the field. “When I first came here as linebackers coach, it was a little too passive to my liking,” Sims said. “I wanted them to understand what it was to be a linebacker, (that) we were going to command the field. That is not just directing and telling people what to do but being active listeners — listening and then reiterating what the communication may be for that particular play.”
Violence on the ball. “The next thing is violence on the dadgum ball,” Sims said. “Takeaways … We want to make sure we are making game-changing plays when it comes to our identity. We are pursuing the ball and when we get there, we are pissed off. Violence on the ball with proper mechanics as well.”
Resilence. “The third thing is resilience,” he continued. “I want to see a response from these young men. That is one thing I’ve been nurturing since day one. What’s going to be our response in the moment of truth. How are we going to respond when things don’t go our way, or when we have these great moments, i.e. last year, how are we going to keep ourselves even-keeled and consistent.”
Be an apex predator. “And the last thing, I tell them all the time about being an apex predator,” Sims said. “We have to carry ourselves with a certain dadgum mindset but to make sure we are talking, communicating. When people see us, they feel something different. That’s one of the things I have been trying to be consistent and pour into them, remind them, that even in the hardest moments of the competition, (whether) the guys are not living up to that standard, or are living up to the standard, keeping them even-keeled and being consistent to the true identify of what being a Florida State linebacker needs to be.”
Caleb LaVallee, a transfer from North Carolina who has impressed this spring and during fall camp, hears Sims’ message loud and clear every single day.
“I’ve been super fortunate and blessed to be coached by great coaches,” LaVallee said, “and Coach Sims, what you all see is exactly how he is, nothing ever changes. He demands that we uphold the standard, be alphas on the field, resilient, command the field, and that we always finish with violence on the ball. That’s one thing he’s really instilled in us, and we strive each and every day to get better.”
LaVallee said it’s great knowing he has a coach who has lived through it and really understands it.
“It allows you to connect on a deeper level as well,” said LaVallee, whose younger brother, Noah, is a freshman linebacker.
Florida State history includes a long line of great linebackers but it's been decades since FSU has been LBU.
“You see the desire”
Sims is encouraged by his room, which includes a passel of formidable candidates.
“These guys are eager,” Sims said. “When I look into the eyes of these young men you see the desire, you can see the intense. You can see they want to have some type of impact on this defense and on this team. I think we all have a lot of anticipation, excitement, of what this segment can bring.”
In addition to three veterans, Blake Nichelson, Omar Graham and AJ Cottrell, FSU welcomes three transfers – Chris Jones, Mikai Gbayor and LaVallee – who bring significant production. And the Noles also signed a talented incoming class.
The talk of spring and fall camp has been Jones, who recorded 135 tackles last year at Southern Mississippi.
“Chris has obviously brought a lot to the table of what this linebacker group has,” Sims said. “But the truth of the matter is there are a lot of young men in this group who are itching to be that guy. As we go through fall camp and prepare ourselves for the first (game), we are still identifying who will be the one to roll out there. I feel very confident about a good bit of those guys who have been practicing over the last couple of weeks and we still have another week.”
Gbayor is a veteran who played for defensive coordinator Tony White at Nebraska in 2024 before transferring to North Carolina.
“Mikai (Gbayor) is very eager,” Sims said. “I’ve seen him battle. The moment he got injured, I could see the hurt in his eyes. The hurt. He came here to make a statement in his last year. Every single day I have seen him work. I’ve seen him sacrifice. I’ve seen him wait his turn. And now that he’s back, he’s starting to take more reps. His veteran leadership is needed and felt every day.”
LaVallee thinks Gbayor is ready to be a really good player.
“He’s very twitchy,” LaVallee said. “You can see he’s really starting to trust his injury again. He had prior experience in this defense when he was at Nebraska with Coach White. Guys like him, Chris Jones, Omar, who has had experience, Blake is a really good athlete and then we have a bunch of young guys, too. We have a really good and deep room.”
LaVallee transferred to FSU in 2025 from UNC but sustained an injury before his impact could be felt on the field last fall.
“Caleb is a fighter, man,” Sims said. “I remember the day where he got injured and he’s fought his way every single day. I remember working with him when he could barely, gingerly redirect off of it. He fought this past spring to carve out more of a roll and responsibility in this defense and here he is now. He’s alpha. I have tremendous respect for him. I can trust him. He’s physical at the point of attack. He’s a real one. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s the caliber of young man we all want to embrace and look up to.”
Chris Jones brings tremendous intensity and physicality, said Sims, which is a top priority.
“One of the things I want to instill in this room was part of that identity, part of that intensity, that we are going to have a bone in our doggone neck,” Sims said. “We are going to play ball to a certain standard and he definitely brings that presence, that demeanor, to the room as well.”
How many linebackers will play?
With a little more than one week before the season-opening home game against New Mexico State, FSU has not announced a starting lineup. So what are they looking for?
“We are always finding ways where we can get better, but we are looking for difference makers,” Sims said. “We are looking for guys we can depend on, that’s going to put us in the right fronts, give us the right calls and most of all be productive.”
Reading between the lines, it is very likely that all six linebackers named above, as well as at least two freshmen, will play extensively.
“The importance of what this room and this scheme has to offer is we have the versatility to go two linebackers, three linebackers, sometimes even four linebackers,” Sims said.
Communication a key
Tony White’s defense calls for all positions to communicate with each other but the linebacker position remains pivotal, Simms said, noting he considers the linebackers the “glue” that makes communication efficient.
“In this defense, specifically, we have different elements to how we communicate. Linebackers have a big role in that obviously, but it’s not just the linebackers,” Sims said. “Our whole defense, for us to be efficient, for us to be elite, we need everybody to communicate. But at the end of it, the linebackers have to make sure we are first and foremost given the initial communication, being active listeners, and being able to echo the call and be sure everyone is on the same page.”
“Communication is one of the biggest things on the football field,” LaVallee said. “He really tries to make it a big deal for us. When we go out there, we are talking the entire time. We are not just sitting there in our stances. We are talking to each other, learning things, what might possibly, could, happen. We are listening to the rover, DBs and other people to hear what checks we may do. You can’t be a linebacker and be quiet. You’ve got to be vocal, command the field, and listen, too.
Coverage a priority
FSU’s linebackers struggled last year when caught in space, so it was an offseason priority to address.
“Everybody wants a linebacker who can play in space,” Sims said. “You see guys across the NFL who are able to sign multimillion dollar contracts because they are dynamic, not only in the run game, but in the pass game as well. That’s been a big area of focus for us this offseason.”
Whether in man or zone, Sims wants linebackers who can protect the middle of the field and be productive.
“Be space players, close space, and get people on the ground,” Sims said, noting he’s seen “tremendous growth” from LaValle, Jones, Gabor and others. They have made tremendous growth in their space playing ability as well.”
When asked about defending the pass, LaVallee reminded that a linebacker’s first responsibility is to protect the run but when they do react to pass, their responsibility is often the middle of the field.
“It’s our job to make sure no ball is clear over the middle,” LaVallee said, “and anyone who comes across the middle of the field, coach Sims says, they have to pay for it.”
“In your own profession, experience matters,” Sims said. “Those guys have played a lot of ball and I have very high confidence they can get somebody on the ground and get people lined up.”
How about returning starters like Nichelson and Graham?
“I have seen tremendous growth with Blake (and) with Omar,” Sims said. “They both have their own skill sets and what they add to the room. And that’s the benefit of what Tony White has; the opportunity to select and identify how can we best utilize the guys on our team. That also falls into guys like Ryland Kennedy and Jalen Anderson. How can we best utilize the best 11 on the field at one time on normal downs, on third downs, and maybe inside two minutes (when) we want to have a special package.”
That’s why so many linebackers are likely to see multiple reps this season.
“That’s the name of the game now, no cookie cutter,” Sims said. “We have to identify what’s going to be the best 11 people to be on the field in that current situation.”
And what about the freshmen?
“They are talented… really talented,” Sims said. “I can see the youth in their eyes. They make a ton of mistakes, but they fly around. You look in their eyes and you can see the intention, the desire.”
Sims does not discount freshmen playing early but the staff will need to be creative in how they involve them.
“Izayia (Williams) is very explosive. Karon (Maycock) is very instinctive, he can dadgum make plays,” Sims said. “Noah, Caleb’s little brother, is very, very smart. He’s going to get lined up and Daylen Green is very explosive as well. They are strong in pursuing what a true linebacker is going to look like.”
How much has the LB room improved?
“Our room is top to bottom one of the best, if not the most talented groups that we have on the whole team,” LaVallee said. “And we really push each other to strive to get better. When we see something that’s not right, we’re going to call you out, or as coach Norvell says, ‘call us up,’ which is a different approach to it. I think we all really push each other to get better. I think we’re going to be a really, really, good room this year and I’m excited to see what happens.”
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