University of South Dakota Athletics

Career
Finished as the Coyotes’ second all-time leading passer with 6,487 yards and with the fourth-most touchdown passes (52) … finished with the second-most completions (585) and the third-most attempts (944) … compiled 7,531 yards of total offense, which is third in program history
 
2019
Team captain … second-team all-MVFC honoree … second-team academic all-MVFC selection … three-time Valley Player of the Week pick … selected to the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society … finished as the second-leading passer in program history with 6,487 yards, and ranks third all-time in total offense with 7,531 yards … conducted the Valley’s top passing attack and number two offense … led the Valley in several categories including passing yards (2,953), pass touchdowns (27), points responsible for (200) and total offense (295.1) … was also the second-leading rusher among quarterbacks in Valley play with 481 yards and six scores on 7.0 yards per carry … nationally, ranked 11^th for completions percentage (64.6 percent) and 12^th for total offense (295.1 ypg) … was also 19^th for passing touchdowns and 26^th for yards … set program single-game records for yards, completions and attempts, going 48 of 65 for 537 yards and four touchdowns, at home against Houston Baptist (9/14) … the 537 yards were the most by any FCS quarterback during the 2019 season … ran nine times for 138 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 210 yards and a score in the Coyotes’ 38-0 win against Indiana St on Dakota Days (10/5) … passed for 180 yards, ran for 72 and accounted for five touchdowns (4 passing) in USD’s 56-21 win against Youngstown St (11/9) … earned Valley Player of the Week honors for each of those three performances … accounted for 299 yards (252 passing) and all three USD touchdowns in the Coyotes’ 24-21 win over No. 5 SDSU on Senior Day in his final game (11/23) … passed for the fourth-most yards in a season in program history (2,953) and the third-most touchdowns (27) … also had the third-most completions in a season (267) with the third-most attempts (413) … had the second-most yards of total offense by a Coyote in a season (3,541)

2018
Team captain ... honorable mention all-MVFC honoree … one of 10 Coyotes who started all 11 games, he at quarterback … led the Valley and ranked fourth nationally with 3,124 yards passing during the regular season … yardage total is the second-highest in program history … completed 287-of-469 passes with 18 touchdowns against eight interceptions … completed more passes than six other QBs in the league attempted … led the Valley and ranked sixth nationally for total offense (314.2 ypg) … passed for at least 325 yards in four of eight MVFC games … earned Valley and National Player of the Week honors after throwing for a season-high 462 yards with four touchdowns in the home opener against Northern Colorado (9/8) … the 462 yards are the third-highest mark in program history … totaled 23 touchdowns (18 pass, 5 run) … not accounting for sacks, was the team’s leading rusher with 549 yards and a 6.5-yard per carry average … ran for a season-high 115 yards including a 62-yard touchdown run against top-ranked North Dakota State (10/27) ... passed for 295 yards and two scores and ran for 79 yards and two scores in the season finale at #5 South Dakota State (11/17) ... ranked fifth nationally for completions per game (26.1) and had the 23^rd-best completion percentage (61.2) … threw an 89-yard touchdown pass to Dakarai Allen in a Valley-opening win at Southern Illinois (9/29), which was the second-longest touchdown pass in program history … attempted 153 consecutive passes without throwing an interception from 2016-18, the second-longest streak in program history ... MVFC President's Council Academic Award ... MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award ... MVFC Honor Roll member
 

Austin Simmons with hits third TD pass of the first half, finding Shamar Jackson in the corner of the end zone. Coyotes lead Northern Colorado 27-14.  #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/cWhmJdO8rU

— South Dakota Football (@SDCoyotesFB) September 8, 2018

2017
Competed in eight games, serving as the team’s backup quarterback and also competing on special teams … earned the win against Southern Illinois after completing 11 of 18 passes for 91 yards and two touchdowns (10/28) … passed for 197 yards and four scores on the season while completing 17 of 28 passes … ran 13 times for 80 yards … had 57 yards rushing and threw for a touchdown in the season opener at Drake (9/2) ... MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award ... MVFC Honor Roll member

2016
One of eight redshirt freshmen who competed for the Coyotes … played in seven of 11 games … completed 14 of 34 passes for 213 yards and threw three touchdowns … also ran 25 times for 44 yards … made his collegiate debut in the season opener at New Mexico (9/1) … first collegiate completion was an 8-yard touchdown pass on 4^th-and-4 that started the greatest fourth-quarter comeback in MVFC history when USD erased a 21-point deficit to beat Weber State in double overtime in the home opener (9/10) … earned MVFC Newcomer of the Week honors after passing for 205 yards and two touchdowns in leading the Coyotes to a 27-24 win against Illinois State (10/22) … MVFC Conference Honor Roll member

2015
Redshirted… was named Offensive Scout Team Player of the Week (leading up to Western Illinois) … MVFC Honor Roll member

Prep
Simmons is an elite all-state quarterback who passed for 2,066 yards, ran for 1,194 yards and combined for 46 touchdowns (25 pass, 21 rush) at Lewis Central his senior season ... Simmons was a three-sport athlete who excelled in football, baseball and track and maintained a 3.9 grade point average in the classroom ... he was nominated to be Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Iowa ... he passed for 1,821 yards and 20 touchdowns during his junior season.

Personal
Son of James and Mindy Simmons ... physical education major.