By Chris Marler
We continue our SEC Spring Breakout Players series with a look at Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons.
A Rising but Underrated Talent
Simmons feels like a relatively unknown player heading into the 2025 season. Regardless of what people may have heard, haven’t heard, seen, or haven’t seen, the time to buy Simmons stock is now.
An Unconventional Path to Oxford
His path to Oxford was a bit unconventional. He enrolled early as one of the first high-profile quarterbacks to reclassify his graduation year.
We’ve seen top prospects reclassify and move up a recruiting cycle, but few have done so at just 16 years old, like Simmons did.
Limited Experience but Big Potential
Simmons has seen very limited action in his first two seasons at Ole Miss. He redshirted in 2023 and finished the 2024 season with just 32 pass attempts and two touchdowns.
However, he saw action in nine of the Rebels’ 13 games last season. The sample size is small, but looking at some of his performances, especially against Georgia, it’s easy to see why his ceiling is so high.
Fully Committed to Football in 2025
Entering year three in the program, Simmons knows the offense well.
This spring, he has fully dedicated himself to football, deciding not to play baseball for Mike Bianco’s team as he had in previous years.
Expert Insight on Simmons’ Potential
We spoke with Steven Willis of LockedOn Ole Miss, who shared his thoughts on expectations for Simmons in his first year as a starter in Oxford:
“Ole Miss hopes Austin Simmons is everything the media wants Arch Manning to be. He is the most cerebral QB Ole Miss has had since Eli Manning, and his spot drive against a Georgia defense that young QBs usually struggle against—he thrived—exciting the fanbase about what could be.”
Simmons Gaining National Hype
Simmons has begun to garner some preseason hype. He even has the 16th best odds to win the Heisman, according to FanDuel.
- Tied with: Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt
- Ahead of: SEC breakout stars from 2024, including Alabama WR Ryan Williams and Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed
- Also ahead of: Players like Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love
Kiffin’s QB Success Could Propel Simmons Further
That may seem premature, but if there’s anything Lane Kiffin’s quarterbacks and offenses have proven, it’s that it’s not.
Since 2014, when Kiffin was Alabama’s offensive coordinator, nine of his 11 starting quarterbacks have had at least 3,000 yards or 30 touchdowns.
- Kiffin’s QBs have averaged 3,611 total yards per season over that span.
- He’s had four conference players of the year.
- He even turned Jacob Coker into a 3,000-yard passer in 2015, despite Derrick Henry having an insane workload.
Set Up for Success in Oxford
For Simmons, the stage is set for incredible success.
In five years at Ole Miss, Kiffin’s QBs have averaged:
- 3,983 passing yards per season
- 30 touchdowns per season
Simmons looks to be the next in line to run one of college football’s most explosive offenses.
He’s got the keys to the car—and luckily for all of us, he’s legally allowed to drive.
