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Breaking down every Colin Simmons sack from 2024

On3 imageby:Ian Boyd•02/27/25•

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Colin Simmons
Colin Simmons (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

One of the most important features of the Texas Longhorns in 2025 is going to be the pass-rush, lead by star Edge Colin Simmons. He was sensational as a freshman in 2024 with 48 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and nine sacks to go with three forced fumbles and a pair of pass deflections.

As a 5-star recruit, there were certainly expectations for Simmons in Austin but I don’t think anyone expected such a high level of production out of the gate. Particularly since Simmons was splitting time early with big time transfer Trey Moore (14 sacks in 2023) and sharing a position room with established players like Barryn Sorrell (four sacks in 2023) and Ethan Burke (5.5 sacks in 2023). In fact, when it came to third downs there was also fellow former 5-star recruit Anthony Hill (five sacks in 2023) to worry about when it came to reps or competition in getting to the quarterback.

Nearly all of those young men return next year, but Simmons in particular is going to be an ultra-hyped and important piece of the puzzle for Texas as they attempt to build another top pass defense. I thought it might be helpful to observe all of his sacks from the 2024 season to get a sense of where he is as a player after his freshman year.

Every Colin Simmons sack

A lot of these are going to look pretty similar…

The first clip is one of those famous “simulated blitzes” with the Mike linebacker (Liona Lefau) initially showing pressure off the right side before dropping back into coverage. This succeeded in getting the Will linebacker a 1-on-1 with the running back only for the running back to make a good block. No matter, Simmons won his 1-on-1 and chases down the quarterback from behind after flushing him out.

In clip two Texas again shows an inside linebacker blitz before dropping him out. On this one hardly anything peripheral matters because Simmons beat the UTSA left tackle so quickly.

Our next two both came against Mississippi State in the SEC home opener.

The first sack features a nickel blitz replacing the field Edge who dropped out but, again, Simmons beat the left tackle to the edge so quickly nothing else really mattered. The second is similar but against the right tackle and as part of a base man coverage scheme.

Simmons got another two-sack game against Arkansas…

You’re sensing the theme now, I think.

Our final three, one against Kentucky, one against Georgia, and the final against Arizona State.

Whatever else is going on in these pressures schematically, and sometimes there’s a lot while other times there isn’t, all of them came against overmatched offensive tackles.

Simmons’ sacks were simply the result of a kid with absolute panther quickness getting the jump on guys who simply could not drop back in time to obstruct his path around the edge to the quarterback. There’s very little in the way of hand-fighting, counter moves, or anything skillful, just sheer speed. Most guys would need to display more tools to rack up nine sacks, but not Simmons.

Colin Simmons in 2025

The most obviously valuable and serious addition to Simmons’ pass-rush repertoire for next year would be a move that helps him win inside on offensive tackles who over set in order to counter his speed. Presumably there were a number of snaps last year in which the tackle was able to just get wide enough to stop Simmons from blowing by on the outside shoulder in which a dip back inside would have yielded results.

Continuing to improve his hands will also make a big difference. Simmons did pretty well above with some chop moves but would blow by opponents even more frequently with improvement at batting away the reaching arms of opponents.

Getting Simmons more 1-on-1 matchups outside against offensive tackles should be fairly easy because of Texas’ sheer volume of pass-rushers. It’ll be hard for opponents to avoid giving him 1-on-1 opportunities when they have to worry about Moore on the opposite edge, the other Edges inside, and Hill blitzing from every conceivable direction. How can you shade consistent help to Simmons with all of those other threats on the field? Another big season is nearly assured.

However, there are still massive improvements Simmons can make. What he’s done to this point is solely a function of unique speed off the ball rather than developed skill. As he masters new moves or is taught how to read alternative paths to the quarterback on different read blitzes? This scheme will be very friendly to him in chasing greatness.

Pete Kwiatkowski inherited a talented rusher at Washington named Hau’oli Kikaha who’d had 70 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 12.5 sacks in 2013. In his one year with PK, playing Simmons’ position, those numbers went to 72 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, and 19 sacks. Kikaha went to the combine and measured in at 6-foot-2, 253 pounds and ran a 4.74 40, I think we all suspect Simmons’ measurables will be similar save for a much more impressive 40 time.

It shouldn’t be shocking if Simmons puts up numbers over his next two years at Texas that are difficult for any subsequent Longhorn to match. He’s as talented as any Edge I’ve seen from Texas this century and in the right scheme with the right surrounding cast will be positioned to make his presence felt both on the field and in the box score. If he can simply advance from being able to feast on bad tackles 1-on-1 with the speed rush to having the tools to also beat good or even future pro tackles, there’s no doubt he’ll get enough opportunities to put up historic numbers.

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