Quick Things to Know About Purdue Interim Offensive Coordinator Jason Simmons
Purdue is going through some staff changes this week. Sunday night, coach Ryan Walters fired offensive coordinator Graham Harrell after a putrid start to the season. Monday, he announced that offensive analyst Jason Simmons would be the interim play-caller for the Boilermakers.
Simmons is relatively new to the college ranks and has a big job ahead, taking over a Purdue offense that is averaging just 21.8 points per game this season and has only scored 38 total points in the last three games against Notre Dame, Oregon State and Nebraska.
Here are a few quick things to know about Purdue's interim offensive coordinator.
First season at Purdue
Simmons joined Walters' staff as an offensive analyst ahead of the 2024 season. He came to West Lafayette after serving as the running backs coach at Miami (Ohio), his alma mater.
During his lone season with the RedHawks (2023), Simmons oversaw a rushing attack that piled up 2,213 yards, the program's first 2,000-yard rushing season since 2003. He coached former Miami running back Rashad Amos, who accounted for 1,075 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, earning third-team All-MAC honors.
Indiana high school football coaching background
Just two years ago, Simmons was a high school head coach in Indiana. He was at Ben Davis High School (Indianapolis), where he posted a 31-28 record across five seasons (2018-22). He led the Giants to three trips to the Class 6A semistate.
Simmons was also a head coach at Noblesville High School and Hamilton Heights High School, spending four total seasons with those two schools. He compiled a 5-15 record at Noblesville and went 21-4 at Hamilton Heights.
Prior to his head coaching opportunities, Simmons worked as an offensive coordinator and assistant coach at the high school level.
Son, Brady, plays receiver at Indiana
Simmons' son, Brady, is a receiver for Purdue's biggest in-state rival, Indiana. He is a third-year player for the Hoosiers, redshirting during the 2022 campaign and appearing in five games during the 2023 season.
There was a Ben Davis connection when the younger Simmons decided to commit to Indiana. Former Indiana coach Tom Allen was also the head coach at Ben Davis from 2004-06, before landing his first college job at Wabash College (Crawfordsville).
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