Top Miss. State '16 recruit Jeffrey Simmons beats down woman on video

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/MikeBBonner/status/738473267300798464

STARKVILLE — Jeffery Simmons enrolled at Mississippi State with conditions, the university announced on Thursday. The conditions included a one-game suspension to start his career and a requirement to be evaluated by the licensed professionals at the university's Student Counseling Services and be required to complete any program prescribed by that office.

Simmons, a five-star recruit from Noxubee County, was arrested at the end of March after a video showed the 6-foot-2, 235-pound defensive end hitting a woman on the ground multiple times. He was charged with a misdemeanor simple assault and is awaiting trial on June 14.

Mississippi State referred to the incident as "an effort to break up a domestic fight between his sister and another adult woman" and that Simmons "used physical force against one of those involved in the altercation."

"Based on conversations our staff has had with school, community and church leaders in Noxubee County, this incident appears to be uncharacteristic of Jeffery," MSU athletic director Scott Stricklin said. "It's a highly unique circumstance to administer discipline to a student for an incident that occurred prior to that individual joining our university. However, it's important that Jeffery and other potential MSU students understand that these type of actions and poor decisions are not acceptable.

"We expect the structure and discipline Jeffery will be a part of in our football program to benefit him. Jeffery will be held accountable for his actions while at MSU, and there will be consequences for any future incidents."

Simmons is scheduled to miss the South Alabama game.

[azhog10]

It's absolutely appaling that a coach would take a recruit after a video like that, and with all that is going on in college football as it relates to domestic violence and rapes and such. Some people will put winning above all else and I'm not sure how a University allows this to happen.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/738509061424046080

DESTIN, Florida — Five-star defensive end Jeffery Simmons was allowed to enroll at Mississippi State under strict guidelines set by the university after hitting a woman, and athletics director Scott Stricklin believes the risk is worth taking.

"We don't have evidence of it having happened another time," Stricklin said. "You meet the young man and you come away with the idea that this is a pretty docile young man, but again that's where the evaluation of a licensed professional — not me, somebody who knows how to read these behaviors, that's when that comes into play."

MSU leaned on Simmons' past more than the potential threat he may present on campus when making the decision. Simmons has been told he will need to seek counseling and will be suspended for one game whenever his college career begins.

"If this was a person who had a history, I think that's something you'd look at," Stricklin said. "Again, I think you're trying to be fair to the young person and at the same time understand they made a mistake and there's got to be consequences for that."

Simmons has not been disciplined further, Stricklin said, because he was not "necessarily in our program with the structure, discipline and expectations" the school expects when the violent event occurred.

The SEC does not allow transfers with a history of misconduct to enroll in one of its schools, but the rule does not pertain to incoming freshmen.

[jbcarol]

Kyle Tucker ‏@KyleTucker_CJ 14h14 hours ago

Kyle Tucker Retweeted Brandon Marcello

Stricklin, Mullen and MSU sure have put their reputations on the line for a man who punched a woman in the face.


Repeatedly

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/seccountry/status/738489957627629568

State's announcement that it is accepting five-star recruit Jeffery Simmons, despite being caught on video striking a woman to the ground, will be met with great scrutiny. It will also be in accordance with the SEC's bylaws, both former and current.

The SEC last year adopted a rule prohibiting schools from accepting transfers with a history of sexual violence or assault. And it seems likely to expand that on Friday when the presidents meet and vote.

But that only applies to transfers.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey is not available to the media on Thursday, although he'll be available again on Friday. But here is what Sankey said on Tuesday when asked why the league was not considering expanding the rule to include the signing of high school players.

"If you're transferring from a university you're generally of age. You're 18 years or older. You're in a higher education setting. You're in an environment that may be very different than that in which you lived in as a minor," Sankey said. "Generally speaking, before enrollment they are minors, and you may have different access to legal reference information. There was a lot of conversation about that, and whether the conference should have that role. The decision was to allow institutions to make determinations about enrolling certain individuals with behaviors."

And Mississippi State has made the determination to accept Simmons.

[jbcarol]

Matt Baker Verified account
‏@MBakerTBTimes

Stricklin at loss for words when @Andy_Staples points out one game suspension is same as targeting



He did target the woman who was bullying his sister.

[jbcarol]

Chris Low ‏@ClowESPN 14h14 hours ago

I've always felt that on issues of this nature (Jeffery Simmons) that the president of the university needs to be heard from.

Spurrier had it right in matters of violence against women. If you hit a woman, you're gone (or you don't get to come). Pretty simple.

Not an excuse or defense for taking Simmons. But rival fans pointing finger need to understand somebody was going to give him a 2nd chance.

[jbcarol]

Michael Bonner ‏@MikeBBonner 16h16 hours ago

Decision not entirely complete. Student Counseling Service professionals could recommend something else.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/HKellenbergerCL/status/738495822879395842

I understand not wanting to end a young man's future. I understand even the rationale for going ahead and admitting Jeffery Simmons to Mississippi State University. But what are we doing here if we're going to go ahead and say the punishment for beating the hell out of a woman is missing the South Alabama game?

Has Mississippi State not learned from Baylor's ongoing scandal, or even Oklahoma, which is still getting beat up publicly for admitting running back Joe Mixon after a similar incident in 2014 — and the Sooners sat Mixon down for an entire season!

In this case we have Mississippi State looking at the same video we all did — the 6-foot-3½ inch, 277-pound Simmons standing over a women and repeatedly striking her in the head — and deciding a one-game punishment is sufficient.

I'm not even angry, because MSU's response since the March incident has basically been coach Dan Mullen repeatedly saying the situation is being "evaluated," and that was a strong clue as to the eventual outcome here. The news release issued Thursday was laughably dense, right down to the point where it suggested Simmons was just trying to break up a fight.

I'm just more disappointed than anything else, because this was an opportunity to actually stand for something. Make it loud and clear that it did not matter that Simmons is a five-star prospect, the top player in Mississippi State's recruiting class and a potential impact defensive end this fall. He hit a woman, and Mississippi State cannot and should not stand for that.

I've been around college football long enough to know that had Simmons been denied enrollment at MSU, he would have gone elsewhere — either now, or after two years at a junior college — and it probably would have been in the Southeastern Conference. So the cynical side of me understood MSU not wanting to go down that road.

But it could have said Simmons will be offered the opportunity to enroll while not having any involvement with the football program for a year...

[jbcarol]

SEC Country Analysis: Mullen is absent during Simmons announcement

DESTIN, Fla. – Dan Mullen earns 15 times the amount of money as Scott Stricklin. But you wouldn't have known it Thursday, when Stricklin was the man who did the kind of thing that requires being paid the big bucks, while Mullen was nowhere to be seen.

Around 3:30 p.m. central time on Thursday, Mississippi State announced that it had decided to accept the enrollment of Jeffrey Simmons, the five-star recruit caught on tape hitting a woman who was on the ground. He faces misdemeanor battery charges for it.

It was big news, and somewhat of a stunner...

It was also fairly convenient timing for Mullen, the head coach paid $4 million annually by Mississippi State to win football games, but also to be the face of the program. That means explaining decisions like this.

But Mullen had already left Destin, the coaches' business at SEC meetings having been completed Tuesday and Wednesday. It just so happened, one surmises, that the school elected to make the decision and announce it the next day.

Stricklin, the athletics director paid $268,000 annually –

The session between Stricklin and reporters was about as intense as there's ever been at SEC meetings.

Reporter: What message are you really sending when repeatedly punching a woman on the ground gets the same penalty as a targeting call? I mean what message are you sending your players? This is all you get? It's not that big of a deal?

Stricklin: (After thinking about 10 seconds): "That's an interesting way to put it. That's not how we compared it."

Reporter: That's what it is.

Stricklin: "Well, but this is a situation where – this is not a sexual violence issue as defined by law. We talked to a lot of people on campus, I talked to our dean of students, I talked to our Title IX coordinator who talks to our students –"

...

Stricklin: "I go back to what (SEC commissioner) Greg (Sankey) said the other day: Does five seconds of a bad decision that happens to get caught on videotape when you're 16 or 17, does that change the trajectory of your life?"

Reporter: "It only takes five seconds to murder, so let's get over five seconds."

Stricklin: "But that's how it happened here."

Then this reporter pointed out that he covered Georgia when Johnathan Taylor was arrested for domestic violence and dismissed, only to be accepted by Alabama and have it all happen again. Men who hit women rarely only do it once. How can you be sure Simmons hasn't done this before, or won't again?

...

[jbcarol]

SEC expands 'serious misconduct' rule – but still only for transfers

SEC did not expand it to include high school players, which would have prevented Mississippi State from accepting controversial recruit Jeffrey Simmons

Asked if there was a dialogue this week about expanding the legislation to include high school players, Sankey said: "We'll continue to talk."

That was different from earlier in the week, when Sankey appeared to shoot it down.

Sankey also appeared concerned about comments the previous day from Mississippi State athletics director Scott Stricklin that the SEC office was consulted and comfortable with the decision to suspend him one game.

"I would say awareness and comfort are two different things," Sankey said.

Sankey acknowledged that he watched the video of the Simmons incident "several weeks ago."

"It is a difficult circumstance," Sankey said.

[jbcarol]

State coach Dan Mullen comments on Jeffery Simmons decision

Chris Low✔
@ClowESPN

Mullen on Simmons: "As we looked at the details ... beyond just the part of the video in the media, we felt he deserved a chance in life."
1:57 PM - 3 Jun 2016 · Charlotte, NC, United States

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/jefflongUA/status/738518485840580608

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/739250797196759041

State opted to enroll controversial five-star recruit Jeffrey Simmons, it announced it on Thursday, almost in the middle of SEC meetings. The same meetings in which the conference was strengthening its rule against admitting transfers with a history of "serious misconduct" – but not extending it to include incoming freshman. That would have prevented Simmons from coming in to MSU or any SEC school.

These are the kinds of things that become issues and distractions at a conference that otherwise has its major stuff together.

Simmons story made the SEC's week rather serious too, on a different level, highlighted (if that's the right word) by the intense media session with MSU athletics director Scott Stricklin, one of the more awkward ones there's ever been here.

And it was made more awkward a day later when SEC commissioner Greg Sankey distanced himself from Mississippi State's decision and made clear he didn't appreciate Stricklin's wording on one part of it.

Dan Mullen, meanwhile? This all conveniently came after he had left.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/740643087408599040

The most astute rant of them all might have come from WJTV 12's (Jackson, Miss.) TJ Werre.

Werre hit the airwaves Sunday night with a strong take on Mississippi State's handling of this situation. The school described Simmons' actions during the incident as breaking up a domestic fight, which Werre believed was a shameful explanation.

"This, according to Mississippi State, is called breaking up a fight. That's embarrassing," Werre remarked. "It's embarrassing that the peanlty Simmons is receiving is a one-game suspension from his first college game. It's embarrassing that multiple punches to the head of a defenseless woman is the same thing as a targeting penalty in a game.

"It's embarrassing that (athletic director) Scott Stricklin and (coach) Dan Mullen and (president) Mark Keenum can stand together and say this is breaking up a fight. In what world? What world are you living in?"

Werre wasn't done there. He claimed that comparisons between Simmons' incident to other off-field situations at in-state rival, Ole Miss, are completely irrelevant and excusing Simmons' actions.

"What's also embarrassing is that there are people out there who are bringing up players from Ole Miss of all places and questioning things they've done in the past and the penalties from things they did at previous institutions, when they had nothing to do with Ole Miss.

"This has nothing to do with Ole Miss," Werre said. "Seriously, stop defending and making excuses for what this guy did."

Werre also stated that Mississippi State's punishment isn't much of a punishment at all, and ...

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/slmandel/status/740899001835356160

"But of course, if [Mississippi State] suspended [Jeffery Simmons] for a season, he might himself opt out and go become someone else's five-star signee."

This sounds like grounds for action by the NCAA to make sure that all criminal cases are treated equally by all schools. If a recruit is suspended for a year at the school where he committed a misdeed, he will face the same punishment everywhere. Because if this guy was a two- or three-star, the punishment might have been different. Your thoughts?

It's an understandable source of frustration that schools don't handle discipline uniformly, or that if one school cuts ties with a recruit for criminal misconduct, there's nothing stopping another from signing him. But it's simply not plausible that the NCAA could apply some blanket policy to cover the thousands of schools under its purview, which between them field nearly 500,000 athletes annually. While our focus here is on the relatively narrow world of big-time football, you can't expect the NCAA to take action against Jeffery Simmons, but not a Division III water polo player accused of the same act.

And that's before taking into account all the myriad ways that one particular case can differ from another both in the area of jurisdiction and the specific circumstances of an incident. In all likelihood you'd need something akin to individual case officers to wade through the details. You think the NCAA academic clearinghouse takes a long time...

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/742788803862138880

On Tuesday, WCBI in Mississippi reported that Simmons' case will be continued. In legal terms, a continuance means the proceeding have been delayed until a future date.

It is reportedly the second time that the Simmons case has been delayed, as the May hearing was pushed back due to a dispute over a restitution payment.

Simmons was admitted to Mississippi State in spite of the charges, which include simple assault and disturbing the peace.

Slated to miss the USA game.

[jbcarol]

 Dustin Dopirak ‏@TennesseeBeat 1h1 hour ago

Sankey asked why transfers with criminal issues can be banned from SEC schools but not incoming freshman.

Sankey said generally, the transfers are adults and may have committed their crimes as adults. That information can be easily gathered.

Juvenile crimes are hard to get information on and they are juvenile crimes. There is discomfort over eliminating opportunities ...

... for people who made mistakes as children.

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

So......if you beat up 2 women at the same time, do you get a 1 or 2 game suspension??

[jbcarol]

Stewart Mandel ‏@slmandel 19h19 hours ago

Sankey getting lot of Qs on athlete misconduct (ie Jeffrey Simmons). "Be careful judging a person's character based on 10 seconds of video."

[jbcarol]

Jeffery Simmons will wear Nick Bell's number 36

Former Bulldog Nick Bell wore No. 36 in his two years at the school before he was diagnosed with cancer. Bell started the 2010 season by playing in four games and making seven tackles. In October the 20-year-old had surgery to remove a mass from his brain. He died a month later of an aggressive form of skin cancer.

"I know for me as a coach, I hope I never have to deal with anything that hard in my career again," Mullen said last year. "I don't think I've ever had to deal with anything close to that as a football coach, when you lose a family member like that. It's just a devastating thing."

Quarterback Chris Relf was the last Bulldog to wear No. 36 in the 2011 Gator Bowl. MSU players took turns donning No. 36 to honor Bell after his death in 2010.

Simmons is the first player to wear No. 36 full time since Bell.

Simmons, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound defensive end, will begin his career with a one-game suspension. He will also undergo professional counseling after he was arrested for simple assault in March. A video showed Simmons hitting a woman multiple times on the ground.

The case has yet to be settled.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/752903235443298305

State coach Dan Mullen was asked about incoming 5-star defensive end recruit Jeffery Simmons on Tuesday morning, he said he was not the one who green lit the university's decision to allow Simmons to play football this season despite Simmons being filmed beating a woman earlier this year.

"I wasn't involved as much," Mullen said at SEC Media Days. "It was a university decision. But I was just thrilled that we're having Jeffery as part of our family coming in. I take a lot of pride as a coach on developing young men to be champions, not just on the field, but off the field in every part of their life ... and that's not an easy process."

Mullen's comments raised the eyebrows of many media members...

[jbcarol]

Kyle Tucker ‏@KyleTucker_AJC 1h1 hour ago

Finally got to ask Mullen: What if your wife or daughter? "I don't think my family would be in that situation." WHAT?!

Barrett Sallee Verified account
‏@BarrettSallee

Mullen was rattled here when asked the wife/daughter hypothetical by @KyleTucker_AJC. Not a good moment for Mullen.

[jbcarol]

 Bruce Feldman ‏@BruceFeldmanCFB 2h2 hours ago

Dan Mullen asked if Jeffery Simmons has another incident of violence vs a woman at MSU campus if he's responsible: "We're all responsible."


That means [you].

[jbcarol]

 Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN 2h2 hours ago

As @Andy_Staples pointed out, Jeffrey Simmons' 1-game suspension for hitting a woman is same punishment as player for targeting penalty

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/753030251639402496

State coach Dan Mullen tripped and fell over his own Yeezy-clad feet. The Bulldogs welcomed 5-star recruit Jeffery Simmons to campus this summer, despite pending assault charges after a videotaped incident against a woman. Mullen and Mississippi State suspended him for a meaningless game against South Alabama.

Mullen's program has a "respect women" sign in the locker room, but his words in Hoover did not inspire confidence. Mullen compared Simmons to a family member going through a hard time, and said "we're all responsible" if Simmons were to have an incident against another student. He stonewalled and tried to push blame for Simmons' acceptance at Mississippi State onto his academic administration. This is not a storyline that will disappear anytime soon.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/MikeBBonner/status/753013089679839233

Dan Mullen stepped into the main room at SEC Media Days on Tuesday. He spoke for nearly 30 minutes on topics ranging from his shoes to Mississippi State's quarterback competition heading into fall camp.

One topic continued to arise, though: freshman defensive end Jeffery Simmons.

"You have to have a great investigation into what happened into getting as many details from as many people as you possibly can to make good decisions," Mullen said. "You are responsible in a very high profile position. You want to make sure that everybody in the university is involved. It's not a football decision. It's a university decision."

State came under fire when it suspended Simmons one game after he was arrested for simple assault. The incident was caught on tape and showed Simmons hitting a woman multiple times on the ground in March. The case has yet to be settled.

Mullen spoke for the first time since MSU announced the suspension. Some of the questions he received included how the punishment would sit with him if his wife or daughter were those being attacked.

"I don't think my family would be in that situation," Mullen said.

The acceptance of Simmons also opened the door of university liability if any future incidents occurred on campus that involved Simmons.

"We're all responsible," Mullen said. "If that happens, all of us, to be honest with you. I'm responsible for all of the actions for every one of my players. I'm responsible as a head coach. I can't be with them all of the time. All I can do is be a parent. My wife and I try to be parents to every one of the kids in our program."

Mullen said the decision to suspend Simmons one game wasn't one he was heavily involved in. Last month, MSU athletic director Scott Stricklin said he consulted with the school's president, Mark Keenum, and Title IX director during the investigation process.

"I wasn't involved as much. It was a university decision," Mullen said. "I was just thrilled that we're having Jeffery as part of our family coming in. I take a lot of pride as a coach on developing young men to be champions not just on the field, off the field."

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/tnsports/status/753695661099520000

Worst reaction to an off-field issue

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen sometimes stammered through and talked around multiple explanations for his school's admittance of star recruit Jeffery Simmons after video surfaced of the player standing over and hitting a woman repeatedly to break up a fight. Whether it was the right or wrong decision, Mullen made little sense of it.

When asked if his decision would be different if the woman was a member of his family, Mullen told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "I don't know. I don't think it would be my family. I don't deal in hypotheticals, really, so, um — but anybody, I mean, in the video, I don't know that my family would be in that situation, to be honest with you."

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/754009350562250752

State topped Fornelli's list of the five college football program lacking the necessary level of respect, which included Notre Dame, Utah, Michigan State and Oklahoma State.

Fornelli's premise comes from the media again voting the Bulldogs to finish last in the SEC West during the poll taken at SEC Media Days earlier this week.

But the thing is, Mississippi State hasn't actually finished last in the SEC West since 2009, and even then it was tied with both Arkansas and Auburn at 3-5 in conference play. While the Bulldogs may not be a national title contender, it just feels like nobody ever really wants to take them seriously, either.

State was picked to finished last in the SEC West last season in spite of an Orange Bowl appearance the year before and returning the best quarterback in the conference, and the Bulldogs outperformed that prediction with a 4-4 record in the league.

[jbcarol]

Were Nick Saban, Dan Mullen really self-serving in punishments of arrested players?

State coach Dan Mullen was asked to explain his perceived leniency toward incoming 5-star freshman Jeffrey Simmons after the defensive lineman was captured on video punching a woman.

In each of these situations, there were plenty of critics saying Saban and Mullen weren't doing enough to penalize wrongdoing and to prevent future misbehavior. However, no one ever seems to know exactly what the coaches should do to make things better.

Some have said he shouldn't have even been admitted to MSU because of the violence he committed against a woman. That's an understandable response given the nature of his actions, but banishing him from college wouldn't make women safer.

Simmons' incident was not domestic violence.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/758110805304963072

So did the promoter and ref.

State freshman defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons pleaded no contest Tuesday to an assault charge stemming from an incident involving a fistfight with a woman in March.

According to WTVA-TV in Columbus, Miss., Simmons was found guilty of simple assault and malicious mischief. A separate charge of disturbing the peace through fighting was dismissed.

https://twitter.com/CodyLongWTVA/status/758058362760081408

https://twitter.com/CodyLongWTVA/status/758056866706395137

[jbcarol]

 Cody Long ‏@CodyLongWTVA 15h15 hours ago

Simmons attorney says Jeffery is just trying to move on and put this behind him and he's excited for MSU camp

[jbcarol]

Michael Bonner ‏@MikeBBonner Jul 26

Sophia Taylor, who is shown on the video getting hit by Simmons, was found guilty of disorderly conduct.

[jbcarol]

[jbcarol]

Jeffery Simmons will wear Nick Bell's number 36

Paul Jones ‏@PJ247Sports 5m5 minutes ago

Paul Jones Retweeted Robbie Faulk

Jeffery Simmons now No. 98 and no longer No. 36

[jbcarol]

Ben Wait
‏@bcwait

Mullen on Jeffery Simmons: It will be a great relief for him to go out there and play football.
8:14 AM - 1 Aug 2016

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/761639955458326529

State defensive line coach Brian Baker says Simmons is ready to move on and play football in spite of all the attention surrounding a video which showed him striking a woman multiple times.

Simmons was slapped with a one-game suspension and is expected to be allowed to play football this fall, a decision for which Bulldogs coach Dan Mullen has taken much criticism this off-season.

"If it was a situation where he was reacting to every time something comes up, then yeah, a lot of stuff," Baker said, according to Bonner's report. "But he hasn't done that, which I think exhibits a tremendous maturity level for a kids his age. I was really pleased with that, pleasantly surprised, to be honest with you."

Bell, who was hired a month after signing day, went on to tell the media that "you guys have had more stuff involved with him off the field than he has."

Bonner reports that Simmons has been bothered by an ankle injury that is limiting his capabilities.

"He can't really blow and go the way he wants to and the way he's used to just yet. A little bit of that is us nursing him though," Baker said, according to Bonner. "That's what's he frustrated with. The other part, he's dealt with."

[jbcarol]

Michael Bonner ‏@MikeBBonner 3h3 hours ago

Jeffery Simmons is dealing with a foot/ankle injury. It's not holding him out of practice, but is affecting his explosion.


Should rely on ground game while recouping

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/MikeBBonner/status/761634630525194240

State hired Brian Baker about a month after national signing day. He wasn't able to get to know Jeffery Simmons during the recruiting process like the previous defensive regime or even the three new coaches who were hired prior to signing day.

The start of practice this week was the first time MSU's new defensive line coach has interacted with Simmons on a consistent basis. The five-star defensive end arrived in camp with a lot of outside noise surrounding him following a one-game suspension...

"If it was a situation where he was reacting to every time something comes up, then yeah, a lot of stuff," Baker said. "But he hasn't done that, which I think exhibits a tremendous maturity level for a kid his age. I was really pleased with that, pleasantly surprised, to be honest with you."

Baker said an ankle injury has hindered the freshman more than the off-the-field headlines. Simmons has practiced with the nagging setback, but hasn't exhibited the same explosion he flashed a Noxubee County.

"He can't really blow and go the way he wants to and the way he's used to just yet. A little bit of that is us nursing him though," Baker said. "That's what's he frustrated with. The other part, he's dealt with."

Simmons was charged with simple assault in March. He pleaded no contest to the charge last month.

"You guys have had more stuff involved with him off the field than he has," Baker said. "Once the situation happened, it's been dealt with, adjudicated. We've made decisions on how we're going to handle it,

"He understands it. He understands his situation. He's able to focus and move on. So really, you say a lot of stuff, that's relative."

[jbcarol]

Michael Bonner ‏@MikeBBonner 12m12 minutes ago

Mullen wouldn't comment on Jeffery Simmons playing next week. He was listed as suspended this week.

[jbcarol]

Michael Bonner ‏@MikeBBonner

Dan Mullen on the SEC Teleconference.

Mullen on Jeffery Simmons: We'll see what happens in practice.

Mullen asked if the suspension served its purpose: I wasn't involved in the suspension.

Mullen said Simmons has done everything they've asked of him.

[Pig in the Pokey]

https://twitter.com/MikeBBonner/status/738473267300798464

Simmons is scheduled to miss the South Alabama game.

To me it is SUCH karma that they lost that 1 game, to S Alabama. Hahaha.

[jbcarol]

Michael Bonner ‏@MikeBBonner 9m9 minutes ago

Jeffery Simmons creating havoc in the back field for the second play. He gets credited with the TFL this time.

[jbcarol]

Michael Bonner ‏@MikeBBonner 3m3 minutes ago

Jeffery Simmons causes MSU's second turnover of the season. He blew up the play. Calvin recovers.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/MikeBBonner/status/777998047200612353

Simmons served a one-game suspension in MSU's season opener against South Alabama on Sept 3. The suspension, which was handed down in June, grabbed all the headlines of Simmons' early career.

Now that he's stepped on the field, there's more to talk about.

"It wasn't a matter of is he going to do it? I was just waiting on what play?" Jefferson said. " Put him in the game coach. Let him play because since he got here, the kid is one of the strongest ones on the defensive line."

Simmons entered the game on MSU's third defensive drive against South Carolina last week. He penetrated the offensive line and guided the running back into the arms of Jefferson and Johnathan Calvin. He then tallied a tackle for loss and forced a fumble later in the game.

Saturday against LSU, he finished with three tackles.

"He played really well. Jeffery's been doing awesome," linebacker Richie Brown said. "He had a great game. He's had great practices. He's had a really good work ethic. I've been really proud of him in how he's applied himself."

[jbcarol]

New Florida AD, Scott Stricklin was the face of the reinstatement of Jeffrey Simmons, allowing Dan Mullen to deny that he had input into decisions to allow him to enroll in school and play:

STARKVILLE — Jeffery Simmons enrolled at Mississippi State with conditions, the university announced on Thursday. The conditions included a one-game suspension to start his career and a requirement to be evaluated by the licensed professionals at the university's Student Counseling Services and be required to complete any program prescribed by that office.

    Simmons, a five-star recruit from Noxubee County, was arrested at the end of March after a video showed the 6-foot-2, 235-pound defensive end hitting a woman on the ground multiple times. He was charged with a misdemeanor simple assault and is awaiting trial on June 14.

    Mississippi State referred to the incident as "an effort to break up a domestic fight between his sister and another adult woman" and that Simmons "used physical force against one of those involved in the altercation."

    "Based on conversations our staff has had with school, community and church leaders in Noxubee County, this incident appears to be uncharacteristic of Jeffery," MSU athletic director Scott Stricklin said. "It's a highly unique circumstance to administer discipline to a student for an incident that occurred prior to that individual joining our university. However, it's important that Jeffery and other potential MSU students understand that these type of actions and poor decisions are not acceptable.

    "We expect the structure and discipline Jeffery will be a part of in our football program to benefit him. Jeffery will be held accountable for his actions while at MSU, and there will be consequences for any future incidents."

Simmons missed the South Alabama game, which seemed like a joke at the time -- until State lost.

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/MikeBBonner/status/784096374925197314

Ground and pound?

State isn't known for signing five-star players. Its reputation is built on bringing in lower-tiered prospects and after four or five years, making them NFL-ready players.

But the last two five-star prospects the Bulldogs signed over the past four years have created another reputation within the program.

Chris Jones and Jeffery Simmons...

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/WillSammon/status/839312006037504002

https://twitter.com/WillSammon/status/839298693136252928

"I live and learn," said Simmons, now a sophomore defensive lineman for Mississippi State, of the March incident. "If I can go back and re-do it all, I wouldn't do what I did. I regret doing it, but I have to live and learn from it."

Mississippi State in June referred to the incident, which was caught on video and widely distributed via the Internet, in a statement as "an effort to break up a domestic fight between his sister and another adult woman," and that Simmons "used physical force against one of those involved in the altercation."

The video showed Simmons, then a senior at Noxubee County, striking a woman multiple times then walking away.

"During the time, I really didn't know I did that and when I actually watched the video, I kind of had a mental breakdown like, 'Dang, this can't be true,'" Simmons said.

MSU suspended Simmons for the season opener last year against South Alabama. Simmons said he met with former athletic director Scott Stricklin, adding that it was Stricklin's decision and that he was "with it," and there was no sense in fighting it.

USA defeated State

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/853705049167585285

https://twitter.com/GrindSimmons94/status/853654783831531524

Simmons had the same number of tackles in the Egg Bowl as he had in the incident mentioned in the OP.