Dual football and baseball athlete Austin Simmons grew up in Pahokee, Fla. Not only did Simmons shine on the field and the mound, he also excelled academically. By the time he started his sophomore year of high school, he had accumulated 15 college credits and held a 5.34 GPA.
When Simmons had the opportunity to enroll in college early to jump-start his academic and athletic careers, he did not hesitate. The quarterback committed to Florida in April of 2023, but by mid-June, the 17-year-old swapped to Ole Miss.
“No one can really say they got the chance to jump two years ahead and compete in the SEC,” Simmons said in an AP article. “Ole Miss has a reputation of building great quarterbacks for the league. So it’s really an opportunity I couldn’t miss.”
Simmons did not compete in games during the 2023 football season in order to extend his eligibility. Instead, he watched the QB battle between veteran Jaxson Dart, LSU transfer Walker Howard and Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders.
Rebel fans were able to get their first peek at Simmons’ arm when he began pitching in relief at Swayze.
In his freshman year of high school, the left-handed pitcher maintained a 2.00 ERA while striking out 61 batters. Simmons appeared in 13 games for the Rebels, sustaining a 3.21 ERA, the second best on the team. However, his baseball season was cut short due to a UCL strain he suffered while pitching against Alabama.
He recovered quickly and joined his football teammates at fall camp, training to fill the designated QB2 spot. Ole Miss fans were surprised come August when Simmons had already secured his place behind Dart.
Simmons was a four-star recruit, throwing for 3,253 yards and 27 touchdowns as a high school sophomore. When given the opportunity to showcase his talent at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Simmons did not disappoint. His first collegiate pass was a 35-yard touchdown in the season-opener against Furman.
Simmons hopes to continue playing both baseball and football. Playing two sports means a higher possibility of injury, though.
“I’m pretty positive I’ll be back at Swayze next spring,” Simmons said in an Ole Miss Football press conference. “I’ll be back into the … relieving rotation, just have to take another MRI.”
Mike Bianco, head coach of Ole Miss Baseball, said that he wants Simmons to be his best self on the football field and that they will worry about baseball when the time comes.
He is two years younger than the rest of his class and is playing two collegiate sports in an incredibly competitive conference.
Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. talked about how Simmons has done this far.
“He’s done a tremendous job … all things considered, with his situation,” Weis said. “He’s getting better each and every day. His mentality is just fantastic.”
