COLUMBUS, Miss. – Columbus Municipal School District has hired former Mississippi State linebacker Barrin Simpson as the Columbus Falcons head football coach. The CMSD Board of Trustees approved Simpson’s hiring during the regular board meeting February 12.
“We are very fortunate to have Coach Simpson as the new leader of the Columbus High School Falcons Football team,” Superintendent Dr. Stanley K. Ellis said. “His educational background, work experience and personal philosophies will provide our students with an education that extends beyond the traditional walls of a K-12 school system. It is my hope that the school community, business, and philanthropic constituents find him to be a tailor-made fit for the diverse population of students that we serve in the Columbus Municipal School District. Coach Simpson has a plan he’s ready to implement that will have a noteworthy impact on our scholar athletes’ moral and social character. It’s always a great day to be a Falcon never missing an opportunity.”
“We’re excited to have Barrin Simpson join the Falcon Family,” Athletic Director John Davis said. “Coach Simpson has had an incredibly successful career in football, both as a player and a coach. When we first met with Coach Simpson, his understanding of the game and his passion for educating students were incredibly apparent. He’s the right person to lead this program and we’re excited for the success he will bring to our district.”
Coach Simpson is a Starkville High School graduate. He was a two-time all-state middle linebacker at SHS where he won two back-to-back state championships. He earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology and fitness management from Mississippi State University. Simpson was an MSU linebacker from 1995-1999. He was later inducted as a Mississippi State SEC Legend in 2017.
He played 11 seasons in the Canadian Football League where he was a seven-time CFL All-Star, five-time league-leading tackler, and two-time defensive player of the year.
Simpson has been coaching football for the past ten years throughout Texas. He kicked off his coaching career as an intern and analyst for the University of North Texas. While with UNT, he developed a program that helped student-athletes set and meet their academic goals and organize their time and schedules. He spent time as a defensive coach with Robert E. Lee High School, Keller Fossil Ridge High School, Chisolm Trail High School, Brewer High School, and Timber Creek High School.
He has four children, Atira, Avery, Bryce, and Braylon.
“Words cannot express the excitement I feel about the opportunity to build a program of champions here at Columbus High School through our new Culture and Core Values of Desire, Determination, & Discipline, that will help us reach our Destiny,” Coach Barrin Simpson said. Coach Simpson will start with CMSD in the coming