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Simms Changes Mind, Chooses Texas

© Chuck Bednar

Quarterback Chris Simms, one of Tennessee's top recruits, has experienced a change of heart and has decided to play football at Texas instead of with the national champions. The shocking announcement comes more than a month after Simms announced he would join the Volunteers in mid-December. The left-handed quarterback is considered among the top high school recruits 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," Mike Miello, Simms' coach at Ramapo High School in New Jersey. "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. There's no apprehension with it at all. He really feels good about it."

However, Simms' choice will not become official until he signs a national letter of intent on Feb. 3, the first day high school players are permitted to sign with a school. The Associated Press speculates that Simms may have changed his mind when top Geogia quarterbacking prospect A.J. Suggs also committed to the Vols. The 6-foot-5, 218-pound Simms threw for 7,055 yards and 63 touchdowns during his high school career.

UMass to Division I-A? -- Fresh off the school's first ever national championship, officials at Massachusetts are considering a move to Division I-A. The upgrade project, which has been downplayed by the school since being highly publicized in 1995, is getting a shove from the team's 55-43 upset of No.1 Georgia Southern last month in the Division I-AA championship.

Earlier this month, Connecticut announced its plans to join the Big East, also a likely home for UMass should sports administrators decide to move up to I-A. UMass coach Mark Whipple calls the Big East a "natural" destination for his program, too.

"More people have asked me about it, and more recruits have asked me about it than ever before," Whipple said. "We would certainly like to head that way," Whipple told reporters on Thursday. "Now it's much more in my thinking."

The faculty Senate voted against a move I-A in football last season, largely out of worry about the cost of a new stadium.

Hoeppner to coach RedHawks -- Miami of Ohio has promoted defensive coordinator Terry Hoeppner to become the school's new head football coach. Hoeppner replaces Randy Walker, who left earlier this month to pursue an opening at Northwestern.