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Built Different: Colin Simmons, Anthony Hill, and the Confidence Driving Texas Toward a Title Run

by:RT Young•04/14/25
Colin Simmons
Colin Simmons (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

“Me and Anthony Hill are built for it.”

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Colin Simmons and Anthony Hill sat down for a short interview on The Pivot Podcast with former NFL players Fred Taylor, Ryan Clark, and Channing Crowder. The Longhorns’ stalwart defenders talked about NIL, Steve Sarkisian, and more. But despite the accolades present in the room, Simmons seemed like the most confident person there. He and Taylor even joked about hypothetically going at it on the football field. The Texas defensive end didn’t seem the least bit intimidated by the former Jaguars running back. Simmons’ confidence oozed off the screen.

The sophomore defensive end out of Duncanville was quick to point out that the SEC wasn’t all that different from what he’d experienced in high school. Simmons mentioned that one of his keys to success is not taking any of this “too seriously.”

The most interesting tidbit from Hill was how he feels like NIL actually frees a player up to perform better — which, in a way, makes sense. Before players were paid, college athletes were still expected to perform at a high level, but doubt could creep in. You might find yourself asking, “What is all this for?” Now, the ability to approach it as essentially a job allows Hill to jump out of bed excited to work out, run, lift, hit.

Simmons and Hill also said the biggest value they’ve brought to Steve Sarkisian’s program is setting a standard at Texas again. But they also noted that with a new standard comes the reality that someone’s always coming in right behind you, maybe even ready to upstage you.

When asked by the hosts what Texas needs to get over the semifinal hump and win a national championship, Hill and Simmons pointed to leadership. The Texas defense will be a younger group this year, and it’ll be on them to make sure the unit avoids the kind of busts that led to plays like the screen pass before halftime of the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State.

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The Texas duo is as sure of a 1-2 punch on defense which has rarely been seen in Austin before a season even begins. I think of Michael Huff and Derrick Johnson, or Earl Thomas and Brian Orakpo. They’re both already top 10 players in all of college football entering 2025. And nobody believes that more than they do.

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