Tuesday morning, SIU football coach Nick Hill told media that the team’s starting quarterback, D.J. Williams, will miss time “for the foreseeable future,” with a broken right hand. He is receiving surgery for the injury on Wednesday.
With Williams out, it’s next man up for the Salukis and that next man happens to be former Marion Wildcats star Hunter Simmons who will make his first collegiate start this Saturday when the #7 Salukis host #21 SEMO in the War for the Wheel. The new starting quarterback for the Salukis has been with the program since Fall 2021. He competed with Williams for the starting position this past offseason but suffered an injury that kept him out of practice for four days in August and that ended up being the enough time for Williams to gain the edge in the position battle.
“Everybody in this building is super confident in what Hunter Simmons can do,” Hill told media. “He’s got a ton of ability… and an unbelievable grasp of our offense and what’s being expected. [He] knows what’s everybody’s job is on the team from upfront to receivers. So you feel confident as a coach with your game plan.”
This season, Simmons has seen limited time as Williams’ backup. He has completed 6-of-11 passes for 45 yards. He also has logged four carries for six yards.
Last season, Simmons broke through and became the de facto backup to SIU quarterback Nic Baker. In 5 games he completed 18-of-35 passes for 169 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
Simmons was the Southern Illinoisan Football Player of the Year in 2020, leading Marion to a 6-0 record his senior year in a COVID-shortened season. He completed 108-of-168 passes for 1,693 yards with 13 touchdowns and one interception. Before Marion, he played for Mt. Vernon.
