99jc
09-27-2017, 01:41 PM
STARKVILLE, MS
Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons is a freak of nature.
The 6-4, 301-pound sophomore isn?t your typical nose guard.
His frame is chiseled. He looks like The Incredible Hulk. His athleticism is practically unheard of for a guy his size.
It has all led to Simmons, a former five-star recruit from Macon, more than living up to the hype surrounding him when he first signed with the Bulldogs.
Simmons has used his skill set to dominate pretty much every team he has seen this season. That came to a crashing halt last Saturday though when Georgia bottled Simmons up on the way to handing MSU a lopsided 31-3 defeat. Simmons couldn?t help but feel like many of State?s struggles were on him.
?Coming into the game, I had no idea they were going to hard (double team) me like that,? Simmons said of Georgia. ?During the game, I told my guys, I apologized to them for getting frustrated.?
It?s easy to understand why Simmons was flustered. For the first time all year, he wasn?t able to have his way.
Simmons helped MSU absolutely smother Charleston Southern in the season opener. He followed that up by claiming back-to-back Southeastern Conference Defensive Lineman of the Week awards for performances against Louisiana Tech and LSU.
No one would have been surprised had Simmons claimed his third straight weekly honor with a big performance against Georgia. That didn?t happen. The SEC East?s version of the Bulldogs had its way with MSU as Georgia passed for 201 yards and ran for 203.
Simmons said the biggest reason he couldn?t do his part to stop any of it was because his technique wasn?t what it needed to be.
?Against Georgia, I think their game plan was to have two or three on me every play,? Simmons said. ?That hurt me. I was on my toes against the run.?
Simmons said he has frequently had problems with his footwork. He can sometimes get on his toes, which causes him to get off balance.
?Someone could easily tip me over,? Simmons said of being on his toes. ?Playing SEC guys, you have to stay low and bend at the waist and keep your cleats in the ground. It?s just something I have to get better on.?
When Georgia double and triple-teamed Simmons, even someone of Simmons? size didn?t stand much of a chance.
?I?ve just got to get better and keep more cleats in the ground,? Simmons said. ?I?ve been emphasizing that. I have to stay low with cleats in the ground. With my power, a double team won?t affect me as much as the next person because I have so much power coming from my hips and all. It?s just little things like cleats in the ground that is holding me back right now.?
Simmons said none of MSU?s first three opponents were able to expose him the way Georgia did. The reason for that, Simmons said, is because MSU?s defense was able to stifle the run game. That meant those opponents had to throw the football more, allowing Simmons to just get after the passer.
Meanwhile Georgia ran the football at will.
?(Georgia) did a nice job of blocking (Simmons) on their run game,? MSU head coach Dan Mullen said. ?I don?t think we executed. We got out of position a bunch on defense and that really hurt us more than anything else.?
Simmons continually points back to his footwork as the reason he wasn?t able to pull his share of the load.
MSU defensive coordinator Todd Grantham isn?t concerned that it?ll be a recurring theme with Simmons though.
?That was one game,? Grantham said of Simmons. ?Jeffery is a good player and he is prideful in his work. I fully expect him to play good moving forward.?
It seems likely that Simmons will now have to adapt his game to get back to his successful ways. Future opponents, including Auburn, who MSU faces this Saturday, now have film showing how to limit Simmons? ability to disrupt.
That?s why Simmons has been working all week to make sure he?s solidly on his feet and staying off his toes.
If he can adjust, the Georgia game might go down as just a blip on the radar screen of Simmons? blossoming career. Simmons is confident that will be the case.
?I take the (Georgia struggles) upon myself,? Simmons said. ?It won?t happen again.?
Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons is a freak of nature.
The 6-4, 301-pound sophomore isn?t your typical nose guard.
His frame is chiseled. He looks like The Incredible Hulk. His athleticism is practically unheard of for a guy his size.
It has all led to Simmons, a former five-star recruit from Macon, more than living up to the hype surrounding him when he first signed with the Bulldogs.
Simmons has used his skill set to dominate pretty much every team he has seen this season. That came to a crashing halt last Saturday though when Georgia bottled Simmons up on the way to handing MSU a lopsided 31-3 defeat. Simmons couldn?t help but feel like many of State?s struggles were on him.
?Coming into the game, I had no idea they were going to hard (double team) me like that,? Simmons said of Georgia. ?During the game, I told my guys, I apologized to them for getting frustrated.?
It?s easy to understand why Simmons was flustered. For the first time all year, he wasn?t able to have his way.
Simmons helped MSU absolutely smother Charleston Southern in the season opener. He followed that up by claiming back-to-back Southeastern Conference Defensive Lineman of the Week awards for performances against Louisiana Tech and LSU.
No one would have been surprised had Simmons claimed his third straight weekly honor with a big performance against Georgia. That didn?t happen. The SEC East?s version of the Bulldogs had its way with MSU as Georgia passed for 201 yards and ran for 203.
Simmons said the biggest reason he couldn?t do his part to stop any of it was because his technique wasn?t what it needed to be.
?Against Georgia, I think their game plan was to have two or three on me every play,? Simmons said. ?That hurt me. I was on my toes against the run.?
Simmons said he has frequently had problems with his footwork. He can sometimes get on his toes, which causes him to get off balance.
?Someone could easily tip me over,? Simmons said of being on his toes. ?Playing SEC guys, you have to stay low and bend at the waist and keep your cleats in the ground. It?s just something I have to get better on.?
When Georgia double and triple-teamed Simmons, even someone of Simmons? size didn?t stand much of a chance.
?I?ve just got to get better and keep more cleats in the ground,? Simmons said. ?I?ve been emphasizing that. I have to stay low with cleats in the ground. With my power, a double team won?t affect me as much as the next person because I have so much power coming from my hips and all. It?s just little things like cleats in the ground that is holding me back right now.?
Simmons said none of MSU?s first three opponents were able to expose him the way Georgia did. The reason for that, Simmons said, is because MSU?s defense was able to stifle the run game. That meant those opponents had to throw the football more, allowing Simmons to just get after the passer.
Meanwhile Georgia ran the football at will.
?(Georgia) did a nice job of blocking (Simmons) on their run game,? MSU head coach Dan Mullen said. ?I don?t think we executed. We got out of position a bunch on defense and that really hurt us more than anything else.?
Simmons continually points back to his footwork as the reason he wasn?t able to pull his share of the load.
MSU defensive coordinator Todd Grantham isn?t concerned that it?ll be a recurring theme with Simmons though.
?That was one game,? Grantham said of Simmons. ?Jeffery is a good player and he is prideful in his work. I fully expect him to play good moving forward.?
It seems likely that Simmons will now have to adapt his game to get back to his successful ways. Future opponents, including Auburn, who MSU faces this Saturday, now have film showing how to limit Simmons? ability to disrupt.
That?s why Simmons has been working all week to make sure he?s solidly on his feet and staying off his toes.
If he can adjust, the Georgia game might go down as just a blip on the radar screen of Simmons? blossoming career. Simmons is confident that will be the case.
?I take the (Georgia struggles) upon myself,? Simmons said. ?It won?t happen again.?