Austin Simmons Reflects on First Start as Rebels Cruise Past Georgia State
OXFORD, Miss. – True freshman quarterback Austin Simmons made his highly anticipated debut Saturday night as Ole Miss routed Georgia State, 63–7, in the season opener at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. After the game, Simmons spoke with the media about his performance, his weapons on offense, and how he plans to move forward from his first start.
First Start Under Center
Simmons admitted the moment was special but said he quickly settled into the flow of the game.
“You know, first start, it felt so surreal being out there for the first time, first snap of the game. And I wasn’t really nervous. I really just trusted myself. You know, as you see in the first drive, we scored in what, three plays, I think? I’m not sure, but, of course, I’m going to have some mistakes here and there, some mental errors like the interception early in the game. But, as far as I could say, I think I did a pretty good job, especially with the whole offensive unit. We were very explosive down the field. We were moving the ball pretty well. I’m really excited for this whole team. If I sound weird, my. I’m sorry. I lost my voice a little bit.” Austin Simmons The young quarterback leaned heavily on his tight ends throughout the night and explained why. “Honestly, we have a great tight end room, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they were just open all the time. You know, like Caleb Odom, he recently moved to the tight end room, and he’s really just dynamic all over the field. And Dae’Quan (Wright), he’s just Dae’Quan. He’s going to make some plays.” Austin Simmons When asked about future target Luke Hasz, Simmons grinned. “You have to wait and find out. No, he’s one of a kind right there. That man’s a maniac in the locker room. Kind of similar to me, he loves smelling salts a lot. And, you’ll see a whole lot of him later in the season.” Simmons threw two interceptions but said the key was not letting them shake his confidence. “Honestly…It wasn’t really much said about it (from the coaches). You know, the first pick, that’s just unfortunate. The second pick, I just had to see the safety show. And, as far as that it’s just me playing ball, going back out there, just going out down the field just to score. You can’t really flinch. You know, if you make a mistake once in a while, you have to go back out and just score. That’s that’s all that matters.” Austin Simmons Running back Kewan Lacey’s big night—nearly seven yards per carry—made things easier for Simmons. “As you can see, we scored 63 points. Yeah, we scored 63 points. So that just says a lot by itself. You know having like seven yards on an average, especially with our type of offense, I really expect them to make a play every single time.” Simmons also praised wide receiver Harrison Wallace, who provided another consistent option. “He’s just an overall ball hawk. Like he can go up and get the ball. He can win one on one. He’s just like a really great talent to have on the outside. And as far as the rest of the wide receiver room, you haven’t seen much of everyone, as the entire unit yet. So you’re just going to see a whole lot of plays made down the field.” Asked about his mindset before his first career start, Simmons said he drew on his past experiences. “I wasn’t really thinking too much, honestly. I just ran out the tunnel and just prepared to just step foot in the game. That’s pretty much it. Kind of just took myself back to, like, my high school days and really just staying calm, prepared and just go with the script.” He also admitted why his voice sounded different during the interview. “I scream a lot. So, like, when I’m calling protection or something, saying stuff to the O-line, I have to be really, really loud because sometimes some of the o-linemen can’t hear me, so I just have to yell at the top of my lungs.” Simmons said he’ll enjoy this first win but is already preparing for the next challenge against Kentucky. “For me, like, I just enjoy the win for the entire weekend. And as soon as we come back Monday, you know, it’s 1-0 all over again. Really just preparing for the next opponent. And as far as right now, I’m still celebrating the win with my teammates, and I’m going to spend some time with family and come back here tomorrow, watch film and just get some treatment on my body.” (Feature image credit: Karis Chambliss, The Rebel Walk) Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception. Email Evie at: Evie@TheRebelWalk.comTrusting the Tight Ends
Learning From Mistakes
Powered by the Run Game
Building Chemistry With Receivers
Staying Calm Before Kickoff
Looking Ahead
Evelyn Van Pelt
