Colin Simmons Taking New Approach With Texas Longhorns Before Heading to NFL

Last August, before the start of the 2025-26 football season, Texas Longhons edge rusher Colin Simmons made a questionable decision.

He told the media of his goals to break the program’s sack record and lead the conference in that same kind of defensive productivity. Fast forward about a month, and Simmons did lead the SEC in one statistical factor, but not in sacks — in penalties.

Chasing the numbers is something that most athletes in any locker room are guilty of. For some, it works out and drives them to success. For others, it takes the focus away from their primary mission — to play for the love of the game and the benefit of the entire team. Unfortunately, Simmons suffered from the latter.

The penalties, needless to say, were a pivotal reality-check for Simmons, and that October the switch was noticeable. Although the Texas Longhorns suffered a loss to the Florida Gators that would later come back to bite them during playoff selection time, it became a game that was fundamental to the growth of several players. With four tackles and a 79.1 defensive grade per PFF, Simmons was one of them.

Colin Simmons Lists Different Personal Goals For This Season Than Last Year

Texas defensive end Colin Simmons. — Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive end Colin Simmons (1) kneels on the field during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The mindset shift carried throughout the rest of the season until the final Cheez-It Citrus Bowl game, in which Simmons finally achieved one of the goals he had set for himself. By the end of the season, he led the SEC in sacks, with 12.

“I wasn't really chasing stats this game, to be real, like I was at the beginning of the season, which was causing my penalties and stuff like that,” Simmons said postgame. “Because I was going to go chase them … instead of letting the play come to me, letting the game come to me at that. So I feel like I did a great job doing that for the second part of the season, (from) the Florida game and on, letting the game come to me, being myself, because everybody knows my potential.”

Entering what potentially could be his last year with Texas before he heads to the professional tier, Simmons is still embracing the learning curve that led to his growth last season. When asked again about his personal goals, he didn’t list numbers, records or stats.

“Team goals, win the Natty. Personal goals — have fun,” Simmons said. “I’m just trying to have fun.”

One sign of maturity for Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons? He, perhaps regrettably, told the media ahead of the 2025 season that one of his goal was to break the school's sack record. And as he gets ready for the 2026 season? His stated goals are to win and have fun. #HookEm pic.twitter.com/3IZY2VZgTo
— Danny Davis (@_dannydavis) March 12, 2026

In what looks like an “all-in” season for the Longhorns, Simmons' mindset is especially important as he takes on a veteran position in the locker room. Already, he’s leading the way in embracing the defensive scheme set by new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and getting positive feedback from head coach Steve Sarkisian in the difference of his leadership between this offseason and last.

More than that, Simmons’ story is one that provides a glimpse into the developmental factor that Texas’ program emphasizes. Although the Longhorns haven’t won a conference or national championship in recent years that emphasizes their place as a successful program, they are a powerhouse at producing NFL prospects and sticking to the traditional method of developing young players — the number of produced NFL draftees and combine invites speaks for itself.

When it comes to success, Texas seems to focus on individual progress as a key to team-wide benefit, and Simmons’ mindset shift is a direct result of that.

“I know all these guys come in with four stars, five stars, all this stuff, and we want instant, you know — bam, they're going to be All-Americans, but to be great takes time,” Sarkisian said after the win over Michigan. “It's a process, and we play tough schedules. But I credit these guys for continuing to work at it and trusting us of, this is how you can get there. And Colin’s a great example.”