Will Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons Continue Playing Baseball in 2025?

Austin Simmons appears to be leaving baseball behind in order to focus on his football career.

Aug 31, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Austin Simmons (13) gives direction prior to the snap against the Furman Paladins during the second half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Since he arrived on campus, Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Austin Simmons has been a two-sport athlete, suiting up for both the football and baseball programs in Oxford.

According to a statement from Ole Miss released on Saturday, that is set to change.

An Ole Miss spokesperson released the following statement to the media on Saturday that confirms Simmons will be a one-sport athlete moving forward, strictly suiting up with Lane Kiffin's football team.

"After having a conversation with Coach [Mike] Bianco, Austin Simmons is no longer on the baseball roster so that he can concentrate on playing football," the statement read.

That's a big boost for the Rebels football program as spring practice approaches. Simmons has long been considered the heir apparent for Jaxson Dart under center, and it now seems that he will be able to go through the entirety of spring drills without having to also focus on baseball.

For Bianco's baseball program, however, this is a blow. Simmons made 13 relief appearances for the Rebels last season on the mound, posting a 3.21 ERA and a 2-0 record before being sidelined for the remainder of the season with an elbow injury. If Simmons is going to be the starting quarterback for Ole Miss in 2025 and beyond, however, this move definitely makes sense.

That's a mantle that Simmons himself seems to have taken strongly as the 2024 season concluded, becoming instrumental in Ole Miss football's transfer portal recruiting efforts.

"Austin's done a really good job," Kiffin said in December. "He's up here a lot, always asking us who we're on, going to meals with the recruits when they're here, developing relationships with them and being very active. Again, we talk about legacies and what you leave; he saw the best to ever do it in Jaxson at that, so he's trying to take over.

"Austin watched Jaxson put together a team, and so he wants to do the same thing."

Ole Miss baseball is set to open its season in Arlington on Feb. 14 in the Shriners Children's College Showdown. The football team will return to action on Aug. 30 at home against Georgia State.

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