Colin Simmons has reportedly expressed an emotional desire to sit out Texas’ upcoming rivalry game against Oklahoma after enduring intense criticism following his controversial celebration against Tennessee.
The star edge rusher’s request immediately created concern inside the Longhorns program because it came only days after one of the greatest defensive performances in school history.
Simmons recorded 5.5 sacks against Tennessee, setting a Texas single-game record while helping the Longhorns escape Knoxville with an important 20–17 victory.
Yet much of the national conversation afterward focused not upon his dominance, but upon the unsportsmanlike celebration that followed one of those sacks.
“I understand what I did was wrong, and I apologized, but I didn’t expect everything afterward to become this big or this personal.”
Simmons was penalized after mimicking urinating on the field, an action that immediately spread across social media and generated widespread criticism from commentators and supporters.
Steve Sarkisian temporarily removed him from the game before Simmons eventually returned and continued producing one of the most disruptive defensive performances Texas has witnessed.
The criticism continued afterward.
“I’ve read things about myself that go way beyond criticizing one celebration, and eventually you start wondering whether stepping away might be better for everybody.”
According to this fan-created scenario, Simmons privately approached Sarkisian during Texas’ bye week and explained that he was considering not playing against Oklahoma.
His reasoning was not physical injury or disciplinary protest, but the emotional exhaustion created by several days of relentless attention surrounding the incident.
Sarkisian immediately listened.
“Coach, I don’t want this rivalry becoming another week where everybody talks about me instead of talking about Texas and what we’re trying to accomplish.”
That message reportedly surprised Sarkisian because Simmons had already accepted responsibility publicly and participated normally in the program’s preparation following the Tennessee victory.
Texas management consequently decided that simply accepting his request to disappear from football activities would send precisely the wrong message to the young defender.
Their response emphasized support.
“We’re not going to abandon Colin during a difficult week simply because helping him requires more than coaching sacks and tackles.”
Sarkisian has already publicly stated that Simmons’ controversial action does not represent the young man’s overall character, despite describing the behavior itself as completely unacceptable.
That distinction became central to Texas’ response because coaches wanted Simmons understanding that accountability and rejection are fundamentally different things.
One mistake does not erase everything.
“You made a mistake, Colin, and you’re responsible for that mistake, but responsibility doesn’t mean convincing yourself that you no longer deserve to stand beside your teammates.”
Athletic director Chris Del Conte had also strongly criticized the celebration, describing the incident as embarrassing for Texas’ football program and university.
However, in this scenario, Del Conte joined Sarkisian in emphasizing that institutional disappointment should never become personal abandonment once a player acknowledges wrongdoing.
Simmons had already apologized.
“We can be disappointed in an action while still believing deeply in the person who made it, and those two things can exist together.”
That support becomes particularly meaningful because Simmons’ contributions away from football have painted a considerably broader picture of his character than one viral celebration.
He founded Clay’s Color Crew with his mother to support individuals and families affected by autism, honoring his younger brother Clayton.
Texas knows that history matters.
“Anybody judging Colin should understand there’s considerably more to this young man’s life than a few seconds captured during an emotional football game.”
Simmons has also participated extensively in community outreach and youth football initiatives, earning recognition on the 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
Those accomplishments do not excuse what happened against Tennessee, but they provide important context when evaluating whether one poor decision accurately defines him.
Sarkisian says it does not.
“Accountability means correcting behavior, not pretending every good thing somebody has done disappears the moment they make one embarrassing decision.”
The situation became more complicated after Urban Meyer publicly argued that Simmons should receive a suspension, adding another prominent voice to the national debate.
Simmons reportedly understood Meyer’s position but became increasingly concerned that every conversation surrounding Oklahoma would center upon whether Texas had punished him severely enough.
That pressure affected his thinking.
“I don’t want my teammates answering questions about my celebration every day when they should be preparing for the biggest rivalry game on our schedule.”
Several Texas teammates reportedly responded by telling Simmons that removing himself would not protect them because his absence would become an even larger storyline.
They reminded him that teammates accept responsibility collectively during difficult moments, just as they celebrate together when someone produces a record-breaking performance.
Arch Manning reinforced that message.
“We don’t need Colin disappearing because people criticized him; we need Colin learning from it, standing beside us and showing everybody what comes next.”
Simmons’ football importance makes the situation impossible to ignore because Oklahoma already understands how destructive he can become inside the Red River Rivalry.
During the 2025 meeting, Simmons produced 2.5 sacks as Texas defeated Oklahoma 23–6, continuing his remarkable record against ranked opponents.
He thrives in major games.
“Oklahoma knows exactly who Number One is, and if Colin plays, they’re going to spend all week designing protection specifically around where he lines up.”
Through four games this season, Simmons has continued building upon an outstanding sophomore campaign while establishing himself among college football’s premier defensive players.
His Tennessee performance earned national weekly honors from the Bednarik Award, Nagurski Trophy and Walter Camp Award despite the controversy surrounding his celebration.
The contrast is extraordinary.
“One Saturday produced one of the greatest games a Texas defender has ever played and probably the most difficult week Colin has experienced personally.”
Sarkisian therefore faces a delicate decision between respecting Simmons’ emotional request and preventing a temporary period of criticism from making a permanent decision for him.
In this scenario, the coach has refused to immediately approve or reject Simmons’ request, instead giving him several days before determining his Oklahoma availability.
There will be conversations first.
“I’m not forcing Colin onto a football field because football isn’t more important than the person, but I’m also not letting outside noise make this decision.”
Texas management has similarly decided that Simmons will continue participating in team meetings, preparation and defensive installation regardless of whether he ultimately starts against Oklahoma.
The objective is preventing him from isolating himself while reminding the junior that teammates remain beside him despite the controversy.
Simmons accepted that approach.
“Coach told me I don’t have to solve everything today, but he also told me I’m not allowed to push everybody away because I’m embarrassed.”
That conversation reportedly became an important turning point because Simmons had interpreted some of the criticism as evidence that he had embarrassed everyone connected with Texas.
Sarkisian instead challenged him to understand that restoring trust comes through future behavior rather than voluntarily removing himself from the biggest game of the season.
Growth requires visibility.
“The answer isn’t hiding from Oklahoma because the answer is playing the game correctly, respecting your opponent and letting your actions demonstrate what you learned.”
If Simmons ultimately plays, Texas intends to make expectations unmistakably clear before the Longhorns enter the Cotton Bowl against their biggest rival.
Sarkisian wants intensity without taunting, aggression without disrespect and celebration centered upon teammates rather than actions directed toward opponents.
There will be no ambiguity.
“I don’t want Colin becoming less passionate because passion makes him special, but that passion has to help Texas instead of creating fifteen-yard penalties.”
The Red River Rivalry presents perhaps the strongest possible test of that lesson because emotions routinely become extreme when Texas and Oklahoma share the Cotton Bowl.
Every sack, touchdown and confrontation carries additional intensity, particularly for a player already facing enormous attention before kickoff.
Simmons understands the challenge.
“If I play, everybody will be waiting to see how I react after the first big play, and I know I’ve created that attention myself.”
Texas does not currently plan to publicly announce Simmons’ final status based upon criticism alone, and no official suspension has been announced for the Oklahoma matchup.
Instead, the program’s message remains that internal discipline has been addressed while preparation continues toward October 10 in Dallas.
The Longhorns need focus.
“We’re handling Colin inside this building because discipline isn’t supposed to become entertainment for everybody outside our football program.”
For Simmons, the coming days could become more important than the controversy itself because they provide an opportunity to determine what happens after a highly visible mistake.
Walking away might temporarily silence some criticism, but returning with discipline could provide a more powerful answer without requiring another public apology.
Sarkisian prefers that path.
“Sometimes the strongest response isn’t another statement because sometimes it’s lining up, doing your job correctly and showing people that you actually learned.”
Texas management has consequently made its position clear within this scenario: Simmons will be supported, held accountable and given space, but nobody wants him surrendering his Oklahoma opportunity because criticism became overwhelming.
The final decision will prioritize the player while preserving the standards expected inside the Longhorns program.
Simmons is listening.
“I still don’t know exactly how I’ll feel when game day arrives, but knowing my coaches and teammates haven’t turned away from me means more than people realize.”
Whether Simmons ultimately starts against Oklahoma or takes additional time, Texas wants the episode remembered as a moment of growth rather than the controversy that permanently changed his season.
Sarkisian believes the young defender still has opportunities to demonstrate his character through everything he does next.
The message is simple.
“Colin made a mistake, Colin accepted responsibility, and now our responsibility is helping him move forward without allowing one mistake to become his identity.”
This is a fan-created article intended to spark lively fictional debate among fans.
