Coach: Simms Chosing Texas

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

January 25, 1999 / 11:06 PM EST / CBS Sportsline

Chris Simms, son of former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms, had a change of heart and will play football at Texas instead national champion Tennessee, his coach said Monday evening.

The surprise switch came more than a month after a mid-December announcement that Simms would join the Volunteers.

Texas and Penn State were the other finalists in the recruiting battle for the left-handed quarterback considered among the top prep players in the country.

"He has had some time over the last few weeks to reflect and think about it before he made it final, and he weighed it out in his mind and he just felt Texas was a better fit for him," said Mike Miello, Simms' coach at Ramapo (N.J.) High School.

The younger Simms was not available for comment.

Simms' choice will not become official until he signs a national letter of intent Feb. 3, the first day high school players are permitted to sign with a school.

"I was surprised with the first decision and then he changed his mind, but I am happy for him because he looks at peace with his decision," Miello said. "There's no apprehension with it at all. He really feels good about it."

Simms also seemed happy making his initial choice of Tennessee on a local cable TV show.

"I'm proud to be a Vol and it's a good place for me," Simms said at the time. "I'm a big fan of coach Fulmer and I think it fits me right. I feel so relieved and finally I can get back to being a high schooler and enjoying myself."

Tennessee won the national championship a few weeks later, beating Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Tee Martin returns at quarterback for Tennessee, but Simms may have wavered when A.J. Suggs, another top quarterback prospect from Georgia, also orally committed to the Vols.

Texas, meanwhile, has Major Applewhite returning for the next few seasons, but Simms could move up quickly since the Longhorns lack depth at quarterback.

A 6-foot-5, 218-pounder, Simms threw for 7,055 yards and 63 touchdowns in his high school career. He threw for 18 touchdowns with only four interceptions in his senior season.