Countdown to Kickoff: Colin Simmons has his eyes set on history this year

USA Today

a day ago

Colin Simmons is coming off a nine sack year and is looking up the ante in his sophomore campaign. The preseason All-American is hunting down history.
EDGE Colin Simmons talking with the media today'I feel way more comfortable than I did my freshman year'#HookEm | #Texas pic.twitter.com/RtcpUyTKRO
Two weeks until Texas football officially kicks off and today we are talking about one of the most talented players on the team and a future first round draft pick, Colin Simmons. Simmons won the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Year in 2024, beating out Jeremiah Smith, Dylan Stewart and others. He burst onto the scene with 9 sacks over the 16 games Texas played, to go along with 14 TFLs for a remarkable freshman campaign.
2024 Stats: 48 tackles, 9 sacks, 3 FFs, 1 INT in 16 games
Colin Simmons walked into a position room with Barryn Sorrel, Ethan Burke, Trey Moore and others, and by a couple weeks into the season, was the best pass rusher Texas had. He didn't slow down a bit the rest of the way, despite not carrying a huge load until midway through the year. For that reason, of course, Texas fans are incredibly excited about the sophomore season for the edge rusher.
Simmons is not only one of the most talented and productive players on the team, but he is quickly becoming one of the main leaders of this team. His fiery personality and work ethic is something clear immediately as it's obvious the other players respond to that. He might not be as vocal as some other older guys, like Anthony Hill Jr or Michael Taaffe, but he leads by example. That is something Texas will need in a year where they lost their two main leaders, Quinn Ewers and Jahdae Barron.
Texas Longhorns linebacker Colin Simmons on his relationship with the defense:'We're tighter than we could ever imagine, than anybody would ever imagine.'#HookEm pic.twitter.com/XIEMSZ66fH
Although Simmons is known as a pass rusher, he is not remotely a slouch in the run game either. At 238lbs, he holds his own on the edge and is very capable of being a down in-down out guy for the Longhorns this year. The good news is he doesn't have to be, with Ethan Burke, Zina Umeozulu, Brad Spence and more to help out, he does not have to be on the field for the Texas pass rush to be successful. He walks into the 2025 season as one of the best pass rushers in the country alongside maybe the best pass rushing group in the nation.
Colin Simmons is the Best EDGE in the Country as a True Sophomore👀PFF's 8th Ranked Player on the 2025 PFF College 50🤘 pic.twitter.com/9hzAfHo4m9
Colin Simmons has the confidence to match the talent as well. He said 'I can do anything I put my mind to' in a media availability after a fall camp practice, when asked if he could break Kik Deyala's Texas single season sack record. That would mean he would have to go for 23 sacks in 2025. While that is a very tall order, it's not out of the realm of possibility for Simmons, even if it has to wait until 2026.
Simmons has the ability to be not only one of the best pass rushers in the country, but one of the best players this year. His speed off the edge is next level, he is plenty strong in the run game and he plays with an energy and motor that is unmatched. He is a very important player for the Horns if they want to reach the ultimate goal of winning a National Title. It's hard for me to believe that he won't be able to deliver a special season for Texas this year.
Simmons is the box office name in the edge rushing group, but the next guy on the countdown to kickoff is just as important. Ethan Burke goes into his senior year ready to make a huge impact and possibly become a first round pick. The length and athleticism is clear and obvious, and with someone like Simmons on the other side, he will be freed up more to make plays. We will get into why Burke could be a household name this year tomorrow.
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