Austin Simmons never asked to be compared to Tua Tagovailoa. But ever since middle school, that’s exactly what people have done.
“Been hearing it forever,”Simmons said with a shrug.“It’s kinda weird, honestly.”
Now, with Jaxson Dart headed to the NFL and a real shot at becoming Ole Miss’ next starting quarterback, Simmons is stepping out of the shadow-not just of Tua, but of the assumptions people have made about him for years.
The comparisons aren’t random. Simmons is a lefty with a smooth release, big arm, and the kind of mobility that makes defensive coordinators lose sleep. He grew up in Florida, played baseball at a high level, and carries himself with that same calm-under-pressure energy Tagovailoa is known for.
But Simmons isn’t interested in reruns. “I’ve always just done my thing,” he said. “I respect Tua, no doubt. But I’m not trying to be anybody else.”
Breaking the Mold, Not Fitting It
What makes Simmons’ story different isn’t just the expectations-it’s how quietly he’s gone about proving he can meet them. While Dart led Ole Miss to back-to-back 10-win seasons and became a third-round pick of the New York Giants, Simmons waited in the wings, finishing his bachelor’s degree by 19 and earning praise from Lane Kiffin for his maturity and preparation.
“He gets the game at a really high level,”Kiffin said recently on The Paul Finebaum Show. “He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t flinch.”
Simmons flashed real potential late last season, especially during a tough matchup against Georgia, where he came off the bench and held his own. That moment, small as it seemed, didn’t go unnoticed. 247Sports listed him as a name to watch heading into the fall, and NFL scouts are already poking around.
Still, Simmons isn’t chasing buzz. “I knew who I was before that Georgia game,” he said. “It was just about getting a chance.”
Fall camp will bring heat. Expectations are high. And yeah-those Tua comparisons aren’t going away anytime soon.
But Simmons? He’s not interested in being the next somebody. He’s more interested in being the first him.
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