David Simmons, a former SMU defensive back turned trainer, didn’t raise a son. He engineered a quarterback. From toddlerhood, Austin’s days blurred into a cycle of drills, academics, and deliberate isolation. Baseball first—at age 5, David spotted the lefty arm and molded it, whispering, “Lefties get paid.” By high school at Pahokee, that arm was hurling 90+ mph fastballs and 70-yard touchdown ropes. But football was the endgame.
“This was planned years ago,” David told 247Sports in July, his voice steady as rebar. No room for error: Austin homeschooled after sixth grade, logging online classes while David orchestrated position-specific workouts. “Of course, I’m proud of him for doing what he’s supposed to do.” It’s not sentiment—it’s expectation.
Enter Faye Fernander-Simmons, the quiet force. A first-generation Bahamian immigrant with a PhD in education, Faye anchored the intellectual side. As a college admissions counselor, she tutored Austin through dawn sessions, ensuring his mind sharpened as fast as his release. “Your mind is the only thing nobody can take from you,” she’d say. Football? The vehicle. Education? The license.
By 16, Austin had an associate’s from Miami Dade College. By 17, he reclassified from the 2025 to 2023 class, flipping his Florida commitment to Ole Miss. By 19—May 2025—he walked Oxford’s stage with a bachelor’s in multi-disciplinary studies, master’s coursework already underway. Faye stayed low-key, out of spotlights, her support a steady hum. In Austin’s 2023 commitment post: “I would also like to thank my Mother and Grandmother for always being supportive and giving me guidance throughout my journey.” No dreams deferred. Just dreams delivered, brick by brick.
The Dual-Threat Prodigy: From Diamond to Depth Chart
Austin’s arm crossed sports like a crossover dribble. At Ole Miss, he joined Mike Bianco’s baseball squad as a true freshman in 2024—13 appearances, five earned runs in 14 innings—before an elbow tweak ended it. “We were happy to add a lefty,” Bianco said. But football called louder. Lane Kiffin, scouting tape in disbelief: “This kid flicks it 65 yards on a rope. Who the hell is this?”
As a redshirt sophomore in 2025, Simmons backed up Jaxson Dart until fate intervened. Shoulder woes for Dart in Week 4 vs. Kentucky thrust Austin into the fray. He didn’t just hold the fort—he rebuilt it. Relief stints turned into record-breakers: A 47-yard TD dart vs. Arkansas in a 63-32 rout, tying single-game passing marks. Against Georgia in November 2024? He engineered a 75-yard tying drive after Dart’s early INT and ankle roll, flipping playoff hopes.
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