SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 14, 2025

Austin Simmons

Ole Miss Rebels

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Austin Simmons.

Q. Austin, how can you be successful in a Lane Kiffin passing offense? What are the things that you need to accomplish?

AUSTIN SIMMONS: Of course, you know, with our tempo offense, we're moving so fast, so being able to process information at a quick speed, and also like just preparation really goes into a lot of things. So just being so well prepared that you can know, identify every single defense you see in front of you each and every play. You know what's going on in front of you. You know what to expect.

Q. I know you were in the Manning Passing Academy with LaNorris Sellers this summer. I'm curious, as a fellow SEC quarterback, what's your evaluation of his talent as a player? I feel like you're kind of in similar shoes in terms of where he was last year.

AUSTIN SIMMONS: I mean, his game speaks for himself. He's definitely a unique player. He has great size on him, obviously. He's a great runner. He's a great passer. He's just really good all around.

Q. I know last year, you had to watch and learn, but what were some of the biggest things that you learned by watching the games last year that you think you can apply this year?

AUSTIN SIMMONS: Definitely like, controlling the storm, seeing -- adversity is going to strike in this conference, each and every game is going to be competitive. Obviously seeing like how Dart handled each and every type of adversity he faced throughout the game, like if he threw an interception, stuff like that, really just staying calm and not freaking out.

Q. You guys have nine games in the state of Mississippi, eight of them being in Oxford, the other one obviously at Mississippi State. How big is that to play in front of your fans for the majority of the season?

AUSTIN SIMMONS: It's great for us. Our community is so well-rounded around the program. Of course, like, feeling that energy for, what, eight games. So we have eight games in Oxford. Just feeling the energy eight times on one day or night. It's just an amazing feeling because that stadium gets loud.

Q. We spoke with Coach Kiffin earlier today, and he talked about how you've been growing so much already as you've taken on this role as the starter. We saw you come in against Georgia and immediately have impact with a touchdown. When you're following up Dart, not that you're in the shadow or anything, to be clear, but that you're making your own kind of play and offense and everything, what's the process for you to work with the coaches that are returning and find your style and find the way the offense can work for you, at the same time as you're following up with something that's been really successful for a while and you want to play into that as well?

AUSTIN SIMMONS: It comes down to the offseason, building the chemistry on and off the field with your players. You have so many new faces coming in. Probably have, what, 60 new players coming in.

Just being around them and just make sure they have a great grasp of the offense and make sure we're on the same pages with my coaches.

Q. Along those lines, Lane mentioned there is inherent pressure to follow Ole Miss' all-time leading passer in that role. What pressure do you kind of put on yourself, and how do you deal with that going into the season?

AUSTIN SIMMONS: I don't really put any pressure on myself. I just think that I just have to forge my own legacy rather than just keep on building off from like what Jaxson did in his success. I just have to play my own game and just keep on going and growing as a player.

Q. You're stepping into the spotlight this year in your role there. What's the most important thing you would want people to know about you when they see you?

AUSTIN SIMMONS: I'm putting everything on the line each and every play. You're never going to see me back down from a fight. I never flinch. And every single play is going to be 110 percent.

Q. Where do you get your confidence from? It was a memorable moment for me and I think many fans to see you come in against Georgia. It was such a crucial touchdown. Where do you get your confidence from and what are you focusing on now on how you want to improve heading into the season?

AUSTIN SIMMONS: The confidence comes just from being from South Florida. I'm from Miami. Miami is pretty known for having all those great athletes coming out. Jeremiah Smith, he's from Opa-locka. I live 20 minutes from him. Just being around those top dogs and just competing with them at a high level, that just builds confidence on its own. And I just take it to college.

As far as like preparation, what I want to get better, I'll just say everything when it comes to my quarterback play. There's not one thing I want to leave out. And just really want to make sure that my game is close to perfection by the time the first game is.

Q. For you, coming in, a lot of players in this world that we're in now don't want to be a backup quarterback. Not that anyone wants to be the backup, but there's opportunities for guys who are as skilled as you to go start somewhere else. Why did you choose to be there through a year like last year where there was already an established quarterback, learn and get to the point now where, in the world of transfer portals and NIL and I can go anywhere, that you stayed and now you're going to be the starting quarterback, having already a year under your belt seeing this past very successful season?

AUSTIN SIMMONS: Because of the unique recruitment I had coming in -- I was a 2025 recruit -- so technically this is like my true freshman year, if you think about it. I think just like taking time just learning and seeing everything in front of me. Really just seeing how Dart prepared and stuff like that. And also just baseball is also a factor because I was playing two sports there.

That's always just been my main goal is just learning and progressing as a quarterback.

Q. Every year there's usually a surprise with the team, maybe offense/defense; is there anything that you can share with us that might be a surprise with this Ole Miss team?

AUSTIN SIMMONS: I'd say this team is very competitive. We talk a lot of smack when it comes to like OTAs and stuff like that. Even when it comes to runs, we always talk a little smack, and basically we have guys out there going 110 percent each and every rep. That's what I love about this team; this team doesn't back down.

But I just can't wait to see how we handle adversity during games and seeing how we just respond.

Q. How have you seen Cayden Lee kind of grow from 2023 and to now, and what are your expectations from him?

AUSTIN SIMMONS: He's a very good system player, I'll tell you that right now. He's always in the right spot. He's always doing the right thing. The stats speak for itself. Zero drops last year, over 90 yards. And we have some other top dogs coming in as well, just filling those spots what we lost this past season. So seeing him as an overall player, I just can't wait to see what he's going to do this season.

Q. The last few times y'all played LSU, it's come down to those last-minute plays. How are you all working to protect early leads as the season comes?

AUSTIN SIMMONS: So I think it's just like it all just comes down to what type of mindset you're going into the game with: Are you out there just wanting to just be out there, or are you dominating?

Always being on your craft. Also I come from a big rivalry game back in high school. We played in the Muck Bowl between Pahokee and Glade Central. I'm familiar with all those type of games, and I just can't wait to play.