NIC-10's 100 Greatest Football Players: No. 42 - Vernon Sims, West

The No. 42 player on our list came out of perhaps the toughest family in the area in the 1980s.

Vernon Sims was one of a bunch of Sims brothers who made West competitive in the 1970s and 1980s. Three, Vernon, Reggie and Fred - the ninth, 11th and 12th of the Sims kids - would be first-team All-NIC-10 players. Two, Vernon and Reggie, would team up again to power Northern Illinois to its first ever NCAA Division I bowl game.

At West, Vernon was a two-way star. In 1981, he played offensive and defensive guard. The Warriors went 9-3, making the IHSA Class 5A semifinals during Vernon's junior year. Brother Reggie was the star at receiver that year, leading the conference in receiving TDs and finishing third in reception yardage.

In 1981, Vernon moved to defensive end and wide receiver, catching 28 passes for 531 yards and five touchdowns. He led the Big 9 - Hononegah hadn't joined yet - in receiving yards and touchdowns for a West team that fell to 1-8.

Vernon decided to follow Reggie to Northern Illinois University. After red-shirting in 1982, he became a four-year starter on the defensive line under three different coaches.

With Reggie starting at tight end and Vernon on the defensive line, the Huskies went 10-2 in 1983 under coach Bill Mallory. NIU qualified for the California Bowl, the first bowl game for the school since it moved up to NCAA Division 1A in 1968.

NIU wouldn't replicate that success the rest of Vernon's time in DeKalb. The 1984 Huskies went 4-6-1 under Lee Corso and the 1985 and 1986 NIU teams were a combined 6-16 under Jerry Pettibone, who would eventually get the program back on solid footing.

Still, Vernon had his moments. He had an interception in the 1983 season and led the team in tackles for losses in 1985. In 1986, he added another 93 tackles to finish with 232 for his career. His signed with an agent but decided not to pursue a pro career.

No. 42 - Vernon Sims, West
Year	Level	School	Accomplishments	Points
1980	High School	West	Conference Champion	1
			Playoff Team	1
			Final Four	1
1981	High School	West	First Team All-Conference	2
			League Leader (receiving yards)	1
			All-State	1
1983	College	Northern Illinois	Letter Winner in NCAA Div. 1A	3.5
			Starter	1
			Winning Team	1
			Bowl Game	1
1984	College	Northern Illinois	Letter Winner in NCAA Div. 1A	3.5
			Starter	1
1985	College	Northern Illinois	Letter Winner in NCAA Div. 1A	3.5
			Starter	1
1986	College	Northern Illinois	Letter Winner in NCAA Div. 1A	3.5
			Starter	1
Total				27

NIC-10's 100 Greatest Football Players