Over the last three years, Ole Miss fans became well acquainted with Jaxson Dart both on and off the field. From his social media presence to his role as a team leader and as a record-shattering face of the franchise, the now-New York Giant left quite a legacy in Oxford. On deck for the Rebels is a young, promising sophomore signal-caller in Austin Simmons, but beside the fact that he is an early college graduate and former baseball player, not much is known about him — and that is by design.
“I don’t really want to give an expectation and not reach it, so I’m just going to have people find out [what they need to know about me] after the season,” Simmons said at SEC Media Days.
Simmons, a Florida native who turned the tassel two years early in his high school days, has been a fascinating understudy to Dart since arriving at Ole Miss three seasons ago. The former four-star field general completed his undergraduate degree at age 19, giving him more time to focus on football and to acclimate to head coach Lane Kiffin’s offense well ahead of his predecessor’s first-round NFL Draft selection.
When his name was called during one of the most pivotal moments of the 2024 season, Simmons answered. Early in the first quarter of a must-win home game against a top-five opponent in Georgia, the southpaw redshirt freshman was thrust into a situation that would make most young quarterbacks panic. But that was not the case on a rainy November afternoon in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Though his team was trailing 7-0 and his veteran teammate was sidelined with a leg injury, Simmons remained poised. The left-hander commandeered the offense as admirably as any in his position could, completing five of six passes, threading the needle to move the chains in late-downs, and leading the offense on its first scoring drive of the matchup. Dart later returned to action and Ole Miss won in dominant fashion, prompting the fans to storm the field.
Nonetheless, Simmons had raised everyone’s antennae. One person who was notably impressed by his presence in such a critical moment was Kiffin. Speaking on his future quarterback, Kiffin emphasized that Simmons and Dart are drastically different people. Dart’s bodacious personality, especially as displayed on camera, is not embodied by Simmons. However, one thing the two have in common is talent.
Kiffin, recognizing Simmons’ abilities that have yet to be seen on display in a starting capacity at the collegiate level, is hopeful his now-QB1 will focus on being himself and playing his own game, rather than looking back and trying to live up to a résumé that is not his.
“Yeah, they’re very different. I mean, if you look at how they throw right-hand, left-hand, that would basically be about everything about them, like everything is that different. That’s okay. Austin has to make sure he doesn’t have to try to be Jaxson,” Kiffin said. “Jaxson wasn’t Jaxson the third year of Jaxson until he was a third year. He’ll be fine. He’s got elite talent. Does a great job. He’s maturing. Did a great job when he came in in the Georgia game. We’re excited about it.”
With a big drive came a big opportunity, one that also required sacrifice. Simmons once served as a productive member of Mike Bianco’s baseball club. After suffering an injury to his UCL in an SEC matchup versus Alabama in April 2024, Simmons had not quite ruled out a return to the diamond. But it would later become apparent to the multi-sport athlete that he would have to turn his full attention to one uniform. In January 2025, Simmons made it clear that he was all in on football.
“I was very emotional. I miss being on that field, especially playing in front of like 10,000 fans,” Simmons said of his time at Swayze Field. “Being able to be on that mound, my last [baseball] game was on that mound, unfortunately. It’s just a tough feeling.”
One thing that helped Simmons transition into football-only mode was Bianco’s support in the process. Simmons said the longtime Rebel skipper, after having experience with another dual-sport quarterback in John Rhys Plumlee in recent years, was remarkably understanding and encouraging.
With no baseball in the spring, no summer classes, and no All-Conference quarterback ahead of him in the offseason, Simmons has had ample time to grow a deeper connection with the offense’s supporting cast and focus solely on the upcoming slate of games. Simmons’ teammate, Rebel linebacker TJ Dottery, believes the soon-to-be SEC starter learned from his two seasons under Dart’s leadership and is ready to take his game to the next level.
“I see him commanding the offense. I’ve watched him take a step, from when Dart was here, even just from the spring until now,” Ole Miss linebacker TJ Dottery said of Simmons. “Watching him continuously take those steps in the right direction and just being a great quarterback and great leader on the offense, and for the team, has been huge. He’s been doing the right things.”
Returning Ole Miss wideout Cayden Lee echoed Dottery’s sentiments, further noting that Simmons, while appearing mild-mannered in front of a microphone, is not afraid to be a vocal leader when necessary. Lee said that Simmons will back up what he does on the field, while also having the confidence to confront a teammate he feels is lacking in effort, energy, or execution.
“When he needs to talk and when he needs to be that vocal leader, he’s absolutely that guy,” Lee said. ” I know a lot of people think of him as the ‘quieter, doesn’t talk, leads by example’ type of guy, but when he needs to get the job done, when he needs to get in your face, he can do that too.”
Simmons, in an era where players can etch name, image, and likeness deals and build a personal brand off the field, is not concerned with his social media image or how he can market himself for advertising opportunity. As the summer months pass and the fall approaches, Simmons has one priority — bettering himself as a quarterback. Though hoisting a national title is his ultimate goal in college, his primary focus is game one.
The Rebels will return to the gridiron on August 30 in a home matchup against Georgia State. With a cornucopia of newly acquired weapons from the transfer portal and an offensive line with potential, Simmons is ready to cement his own legacy at Ole Miss, one that is forged by grit, talent, and an exceptional knowledge of the game.
“I just want to play ball at the end of the day. [I’ve] always had dreams of playing for a national championship, but right now, we are just focused on Georgia State, so I’m going to focus on that rather than my brand at the moment,” Simmons said.