Jelani Berassa’s Return to Miami Marks a ‘Homecoming’
Jelani Berassa, a Miami native and Killian High School alumnus, is back in his hometown, this time as the new wide receivers coach at Florida International University. He describes his return as a “total homecoming.”
“Working with Coach Willie Simmons for so long at FAMU, it feels like we never left,” Berassa shared. “The energy and attention to detail are the same, and it’s the same playbook. It just feels like home.”
Berassa, who most recently coached wide receivers at Youngstown State, previously spent five years at Florida A&M working alongside FIU’s new head coach, Willie Simmons. During his time at FAMU, Berassa played a key role in developing wide receiver Xavier Smith, who became an All-American and was a finalist for the prestigious Walter Payton Award in 2022. Smith finished his career with 280 receptions, 3,620 yards, and 28 touchdowns.
At Youngstown State, Berassa helped set several school records, including for completions (270), attempts (388), and completion percentage (69.6%).
Now at FIU, Berassa is excited to work with a young but talented group of wide receivers. “I’m coaching a lot of guys who love football,” he said during spring practice. “They’re eager to learn and improve. They’re always ready for meetings and excited to learn new techniques. It’s been a pleasure to coach this group so far.”
Berassa and his wide receiver group will take the field for their first spring game under the new coaching staff on Saturday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
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