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Ole Miss fans…is Austin Simmons a decent quarterback?
Posted on 8/10/26 at 6:15 pm
Posted on 8/10/26 at 6:15 pm
ESPN had this to say today.
“The excitement surrounding Simmons at Ole Miss never materialized, as his Week 2 ankle injury opened the door for Trinidad Chambliss to take over the starting job. Simmons, who had 235 passing yards with two interceptions against Kentucky prior to the injury, had just 20 pass attempts the rest of the season.
He will get another chance to start in the SEC, taking over a Missouri offense largely resetting with both players and coaches. Simmons is a former top-80 national recruit who enters his fourth college season but has only 107 career pass attempts.
"He's got physical talent, but he's a processor and he's a little robotic for me," an SEC coach said of Simmons.
Simmons joins a Missouri program that has been successful with quarterbacks under coach Eliah Drinkwitz, whose offensive staff now features Chip Lindsey as offensive coordinator and Garrett Riley as quarterbacks coach.
"He'll just do OK," said a defensive coordinator set to face Simmons. "There's definitely talent in his body. I just don't feel like he likes to be hit. Obviously, Drink does a great job with those guys, but there's some transition there with the new OC, new QB, all that stuff."
LINK
“The excitement surrounding Simmons at Ole Miss never materialized, as his Week 2 ankle injury opened the door for Trinidad Chambliss to take over the starting job. Simmons, who had 235 passing yards with two interceptions against Kentucky prior to the injury, had just 20 pass attempts the rest of the season.
He will get another chance to start in the SEC, taking over a Missouri offense largely resetting with both players and coaches. Simmons is a former top-80 national recruit who enters his fourth college season but has only 107 career pass attempts.
"He's got physical talent, but he's a processor and he's a little robotic for me," an SEC coach said of Simmons.
Simmons joins a Missouri program that has been successful with quarterbacks under coach Eliah Drinkwitz, whose offensive staff now features Chip Lindsey as offensive coordinator and Garrett Riley as quarterbacks coach.
"He'll just do OK," said a defensive coordinator set to face Simmons. "There's definitely talent in his body. I just don't feel like he likes to be hit. Obviously, Drink does a great job with those guys, but there's some transition there with the new OC, new QB, all that stuff."
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Posted on 8/10/26 at 6:21 pm to QBUMizzou
Maybe?
Kid is smart, athletic and a good leader.
It may be that he just didn’t get settled in before injury and Chambliss played so well he couldn’t win the job back.
Kid is smart, athletic and a good leader.
It may be that he just didn’t get settled in before injury and Chambliss played so well he couldn’t win the job back.
Posted on 8/10/26 at 6:23 pm to QBUMizzou
It depends: did he learn how to read a defense or do you have an offense where he doesn’t have to?
He has an incredible arm, lacks touch, and throws 1-2 picks a game. Will probably win 1-2 games for you but might lose 1-2 games too.
He has an incredible arm, lacks touch, and throws 1-2 picks a game. Will probably win 1-2 games for you but might lose 1-2 games too.
Posted on 8/10/26 at 6:26 pm to Shunface
Are the negative comments in the article true?
Posted on 8/10/26 at 6:28 pm to Dixie.Reb
quote:
It depends: did he learn how to read a defense or do you have an offense where he doesn’t have to? He has an incredible arm, lacks touch, and throws 1-2 picks a game. Will probably win 1-2 games for you but might lose 1-2 games too.
Thanks for the info.
Truth is, even if he’s average, it’s an upgrade over last year,
Posted on 8/10/26 at 6:52 pm to QBUMizzou
When I saw him come in for relief of Dart the year before he looked like he could have been the best of all the Kiff era qbs. Offense ran smooth with him in. Pass timing was incredible. He’s got it all he just needs to find himself a bit which I think he will do.
Posted on 8/10/26 at 6:57 pm to QBUMizzou
I think he’s got the talent but his growth got stunted due to the injury and emergence of Chambliss. I’d have loved to seen him play for a whole year, but unfortunately now it’ll be under a different flag.
Posted on 8/10/26 at 7:28 pm to QBUMizzou
In his brief stint last year, he had a tendency to hold on to the ball for too long and still force a bad throw. He was consistently late over the middle.
The plus side is he may have the strongest arm I've ever seen in person. Also a great guy. He just needs experience.
The plus side is he may have the strongest arm I've ever seen in person. Also a great guy. He just needs experience.
This post was edited on 8/10/26 at 7:29 pm
Posted on 8/10/26 at 7:43 pm to Quicksilver
I think it is possible to be too athletic to play QB. Not that they couldn’t be great, but many seem to rely on their athleticism over smart decision making.
Some won’t stay in the pocket and run at the first sign of pressure. Others take sacks because they do stay in the pocket, but hold the ball thinking they can get away. They make dumb decisions, trying to force balls that they shouldn’t because they trust their athleticism too much. Many seem to have not really had to develop and learn how to be a QB because they have always been the best athlete on the field and can out run everyone. It often works until they get to college or the NFL. And the guys with the legendary arm strength don’t always end up being great quarterbacks. Doesn’t Joe Milton have the longest documented throw in college football history? Something ridiculous like 85 yards? Pretty sure the longest recorded throw by a NFL QB was Vinnie Testeverde in 1988, an 80 yard throw.
Some won’t stay in the pocket and run at the first sign of pressure. Others take sacks because they do stay in the pocket, but hold the ball thinking they can get away. They make dumb decisions, trying to force balls that they shouldn’t because they trust their athleticism too much. Many seem to have not really had to develop and learn how to be a QB because they have always been the best athlete on the field and can out run everyone. It often works until they get to college or the NFL. And the guys with the legendary arm strength don’t always end up being great quarterbacks. Doesn’t Joe Milton have the longest documented throw in college football history? Something ridiculous like 85 yards? Pretty sure the longest recorded throw by a NFL QB was Vinnie Testeverde in 1988, an 80 yard throw.
Posted on 8/10/26 at 7:48 pm to captdalton
quote:
I think it is possible to be too athletic to play QB.
quote:
Some won’t stay in the pocket and run at the first sign of pressure. Others take sacks because they do stay in the pocket, but hold the ball thinking they can get away. They make dumb decisions, trying to force balls that they shouldn’t because they trust their athleticism too much.
So true! LaNorris Sellers is an example of your observation. Hopefully, he takes strides under Briles but right now, he fits your description.
Posted on 8/10/26 at 7:54 pm to captdalton
I think the issue is-
Kiffin has a system. He knows how to run a potent offense with anybody at QB, it's quick reads and keys, and timing. If you come in and learn it, and then you trust the system and run it on time, you will have a good year. He's not building around one guy, he wants something you can keep plugging people into and keep rolling.
That's why Lane gets the love and the big bucks.
The problem comes in when you have a guy who's highly touted, has confidence in his arm, and wants to push for bigger plays. I think Simmons is one of those guys; the risk is you get out of time with the system and it sputters.
Chambliss got his chance, trusted the system and stayed within it.
Mizzou might make their offense around what Simmons can do, and he may look really good in that.
Kiffin has a system. He knows how to run a potent offense with anybody at QB, it's quick reads and keys, and timing. If you come in and learn it, and then you trust the system and run it on time, you will have a good year. He's not building around one guy, he wants something you can keep plugging people into and keep rolling.
That's why Lane gets the love and the big bucks.
The problem comes in when you have a guy who's highly touted, has confidence in his arm, and wants to push for bigger plays. I think Simmons is one of those guys; the risk is you get out of time with the system and it sputters.
Chambliss got his chance, trusted the system and stayed within it.
Mizzou might make their offense around what Simmons can do, and he may look really good in that.
Posted on 8/10/26 at 7:59 pm to GarnetNBlack
It is frustrating watching a QB who can run ignore a huge hole and a 15 yard gain because he either can’t process it and the receivers at the same time, or he wants to prove he is a passer and chooses not to run - which he does by throwing an incompletion at the feet of the receiver. Then on the next play he gets pressured, and as he runs towards the sidelines everyone is screaming to throw the ball away - which he doesn’t, he instead runs out of bounds for a 7 yard loss. And then on third down and 17 he misses the wide open receiver running down the seam and instead throws it to the guy on the 10 yard out that he has been staring at the entire play, resulting in 4th and 7.
Posted on 8/10/26 at 8:22 pm to captdalton
Lol. . . You’ve been watching our QB last year!
Posted on 8/10/26 at 9:07 pm to QBUMizzou
I find it interesting that he didn't end up at LSU, considering they replaced the entire QB room.
I wonder what happened there?
I wonder what happened there?
Posted on 8/10/26 at 9:07 pm to QBUMizzou
He has the ability to be but he has to go perform.
Posted on 8/10/26 at 9:18 pm to QBUMizzou
If he can sit in the pocket… he has a hell of a arm
Posted on 8/10/26 at 9:19 pm to Insurancerebel
quote:
he has a hell of a arm
I think he just needed to relax.
Michael Spurlock looked like the next Joe Montanna in practice. Once he hit the field, he could not get 10 yards close to hitting a wide open receiver.
This post was edited on 8/10/26 at 9:22 pm
Posted on 8/10/26 at 9:25 pm to QBUMizzou
He has all of the tools and is very intelligent. His biggest issue last year was he knew he had a cannon and would come out too hyped up. Wouldn’t make his reads at the LOS, wouldn’t go through his progressions and would try to Brett Favre passes. When he finally settles down and does what he’s supposed to, he’s lethal.
Y’all getting Caden Lee to follow him is going to help him tremendously.
Y’all getting Caden Lee to follow him is going to help him tremendously.
This post was edited on 8/10/26 at 9:28 pm
Posted on 8/10/26 at 9:30 pm to Henry Jones Jr
If he didn't get hurt last year, I think ole Miss would have had a great season last year but we would have lost another game or 2 just because of mistakes from Simmons. Trinidad was in his 5th year and just had more experience so I think we benefitted from that. But there is no denying Simmons' talent. That arm is special and seems like a great kid and teammate. Hope he kills it for Missouri and is a first round pick but obviously hope he has an L to Ole Miss.
Posted on 8/10/26 at 9:45 pm to QBUMizzou
quote:
I just don't feel like he likes to be hit
Whatever coach said that is an idiot. He took too much contact, that’s why he got hurt. Definitely a gamer, just has to learn to make better reads and know when to give up on a play.
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