The SEC is never a walk in the park. But there are some players who are just built different. Last fall, the 19-year-old, a redshirt freshman then, showed the nation. He shocked Kirby Smart too. It was November 9. One drive, 10 plays, and 75 yards. All against No. 3 Georgia in front of a roaring Oxford crowd. It wasn’t even supposed to happen. But when Jaxson Dart went down, he had to fill and suddenly, the Bulldogs saw the scoreboard flip to a tie game. And that’s the level of talent he holds.
The name behind it is Austin Simmons, Ole Miss’ QB1 for 2025. Even after executing a game-changing play, he only shrugged it off. “Just went out there and dominated,” he said then. “Just trusted my preparation.” And if that’s what a backup freshman QB is capable of, Ole Miss opponents might want to brace themselves for what’s coming. On August 8, Pete Thamel posted on X, “In one tantalizing drive, Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons flashed his boundless potential. His smooth lefty stroke evokes both lofty comparisons and high-round MLB promise. Is he ready for spotlight?” You bet he is.
“He just has the Tua thing.” In one tantalizing drive, Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons flashed his boundless potential. His smooth lefty stroke evokes both lofty comparisons and high-round MLB promise. Is he ready for spotlight? https://t.co/p4I8Y6oqBJ
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 8, 2025
Even Lane Kiffin, who has seen his share of QB talent over the years, says Simmons “has the Tua thing.” The mechanics are effortless. A lefty release that melts from his shoulder like it was born there. The calm in the pocket feels almost unnatural for his age. “There’s no way you teach any of that,” Kiffin says, flashing back to his Alabama days with Tua Tagovailoa. “They just have that.” That’s why he didn’t even peek into the portal for a new QB this offseason. Because when your arm talent is rare, the only question left is if you can run the whole show. But Austin Simmons exudes self-confidence.
Ahead of taking the full starter nod in 2025, Austin Simmons boldly declared a warning. “I just want people to just understand that there’s going to be a lot more moments like that,” he said. “I just know I’m made for it.” For him, life has been nothing short of a QB incubation lab. If you’re wondering how he’s a redshirt sophomore at 19, he graduated high school two years early and already owns a degree from Ole Miss in multidisciplinary studies.
Austin Simmons is third of seven brothers, six of them lefties, raised by a father who’s spent decades coaching at the college and pro level. Summers for Simmons were for eight-hour training days split between football and baseball. Now, without baseball, all that fuel is going straight into one engine.
Kirby Smart acknowledges Austin Simmons’ talent
Kirby Smart remembers. He’s not one for overhyping opposing QBs, but that Georgia drive last fall is etched in his mind. “He went out there with ice in his veins,” he said. “He played with no inhibition and played really well.” And patience, odd for someone who sped to college as a teenager, but Austin Simmons waited behind Jaxson Dart, refined his game, and now steps into 2025 as the Rebels’ full-time starter. And the way he sees it, this is just his opening act.
“I just feel like it’s just the beginning, honestly, because I’m just reaching that potential right now,” Austin Simmons said. “This is my first year really showcasing myself and frankly, no one really knows who I am until that first SEC game. So, I just can’t wait to experience that moment, really just show everyone who I am.” He’s been conditioned to handle SEC heat like a pro, even if it meant skipping out on the typical teenage life.
It’s a quiet life now but come fall Saturdays, he plans to make all the noise he needs. “One drive doesn’t really define me as a quarterback,” Austin Simmons warns. “People are going to see exactly how I play against better competition.” No wonder rankings are already high on him. The SEC is about to find out what happens when a lefty with ice in his veins gets a full season to work. And if Kirby Smart was shocked last time, he might want to brace himself for the sequel.
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