Simmons' intensity keys Cavaliers' special teams

For Hall Simmons, a relative unknown to those outside of the Virginia football program, actions speak louder than words.

It is his actions with the Cavaliers, however, that have placed the junior in high regard amongst his teammates.

From the opening play of every practice to the final drill he takes part in, Simmons simply leaves it all on the field.

For that, the special-teams demon has gained enormous respect.

“Hall Simmons only knows one way to play,” said Rodney McLeod, a freshman safety. “Hall practices the way that he plays. He is an intense guy, a hard worker. He has a lot of love for the game.”

Against Miami, Simmons made his mark — the 5-foot-9, 200-pound junior downed two punts inside the Hurricanes’ 20-yard line.

“Any time we can change the game with special teams, we think it is a really big impact play,” Simmons said. “We take a lot of pride in it and work as hard as we can during the week. We actually do a down drill and we take it seriously in practice and in the games it has really paid off.

“Any time we can get it down inside the 10 it is a good thing for us.”

More importantly, Simmons recovered a muffed punt in the first quarter that led to Virginia’s lone field goal.

“Any time we can get our hands on a loose ball it is a pretty cool thing,” he said. “I think everyone wanted to jump on it, but fortunately I was more in the right spot at the right time.

“It was a pretty good feeling to see a ball on the ground and get it back and help the team and keep Miami from getting off to a quick start.”

Thanks to Simmons and others on the punt coverage unit, Virginia rookie Jimmy Howell has had 16 punts downed inside the opposing team’s 20-yard line.

It was the type of impact that Simmons hoped to make after living in the shadow of Josh Zidenberg, a former special teams standout that graduated last May.

“Josh was a great player for us, and I kind of did what Josh did for the first three years,” said Simmons, who has 11 tackles in eight games. “We both walked on and he set a tough example to follow, but our team firmly believes in special teams. It is a big area that can impact the game.

“I realized that could be my role to help the team. Here we are and I am getting a chance.”

Simmons, who was placed on scholarship by coach Al Groh before the season, is accountable for his performance — for better or worse.

“He’s fantastic during practice, during games,” Howell said of Simmons. “He is always the first one that comes up to me if he doesn’t get to a punt to say, ‘I’m sorry, man. My bad.’

“He has been doing a fantastic job all year and he is one of the hardest-working guys on the team. I applaud him for going out there on special teams and doing that.”

It should not come as a surprise based on Simmons’ future goal.

“His ambition is to be a Navy SEAL,” said Groh, who perked up when asked about the Tennessee native. “That gives you a little insight into him, and when he achieves that rank, in our knowing him, it will help us rest comfortably knowing that our security is in the hands of people like him.

“We say, ‘We root for players.’ Because it is something he really wants to do, we root for him that that works out.”

Groh is clearly a fan of Simmons as a performer and a person.

“He’s a great kid. The players love him,” Groh said. “He is so intense with everything. He is intense conversationally, although he’s got a good smile.

“He’s intense in the offseason program, he’s intense in training. Every play in practice, full speed ahead. The players really respect what he has put into it.”