Walter Simmons Class: Junior Hometown: Savannah, GA High School: Benedictine Military Height / Weight: 6-0 / 197 Position: Defensive Back Birthdate: 02/03/1980 Experience: 2VL

A very hard worker who is serious about football ... boasts good size and speed for the safety position ... will battle for a starting role this fall ... will also be a major contributor on Deacon special teams.

2000: Saw action in all 11 contests … earned his first collegiate starting nod at strong safety versus Duke … also started the next week against Florida State … totaled 21 tackles on the year, including 15 solo stops … also recorded three tackles for loss (-24 yards) and his first career sack (-15 yards) on North Carolina's Ronald Curry … had four tackles against the Tar Heels, including two for loss … played a season-high 54 snaps and totaled three solo stops, including one for loss, at Clemson … had four tackles versus Virginia … recorded a season-high seven tackles, including six unassisted at Georgia Tech … played just 25 snaps against the Yellow Jackets, including 10 plays at the linebacker slot … registered three tackles against Duke and four versus the Seminoles.

1999: Earned his first varsity letter … played in all 11 regular season games with most of his action coming at safety … recorded eight tackles including six solo stops … had one tackle-for-loss … played 46 snaps against UAB and a season-high 68 snaps the following week against Clemson … had two tackles, including a tackle for loss, against Clemson.

1998: Redshirted the season as a true freshman.

Background: Product of an excellent high school program at the Benedictine Military Academy which also sent teammate Jamaal Argrow to WFU … played wide receiver and running back on the offensive side, safety and cornerback on the defensive side under coach Tommy Brackett … named the "Back of the Year" by the Savannah Quarterback Club and was recipient of the Finocchiaro Award as the premier player in that area as a senior … also a first team all-region selection in 1997 … earned a starting role as a freshman on the high school level, becoming the first ninth-grader ever to earn a starting spot at Benedictine … active in extracurricular affairs, too, and was named the Outstanding Student at his school for the 1997-98 academic year … majoring in sociology … born February 3, 1980 in Savannah, GA … son of Walter and Audrey Simmons … both his father and grandfather (Walter Jr. and Sr. respectively) played collegiate athletics at Tuskegee University, and he had an uncle, Frank Simmons, earn All-America honors in basketball at that institution.

Career Statistics
Year	GP	UT	AT	Total	Int	TFL	Sacks
1999	11	6	2	8	0	1/-1	0
2000	11	10	6	21	0	3/-24	1/-15
Total	22	16	8	29	0	4/-25	1/-15


Most Tackles
7 at Georgia Tech, 10/14/00


Most Unassisted Tackles
6 at Georgia Tech, 10/14/00