Stephen Simmons Class: Junior Hometown: St. Louis, Mo. High School: St. Louis University High (SLUH) Height / Weight: 5-8 / 180 Position: RB

The 2009 Scouting Report: Has all the tools to excel as a running back in NU's spread offense ... Begins the fall atop the depth chart at tailback ... Savored a solid spring ... Unselfish player who really stepped up last fall to start NU's final three regular-season games despite playing with a severely sprained ankle ... Could also help in the kicking game as a returner.

2008: Played in 10 games, including the 2008 Alamo Bowl vs. Missouri where he returned five kickoffs for 108 yards ... In his third career start (regular season finale vs. Illinois), tied a career high in carries (22) and set a personal best with 69 rushing yards while scoring one TD ... Also returned three kickoffs for 54 yards against the Illini ... Against Michigan, notched his first career rushing TD, a 21-yard burst in the first quarter while finishing with 56 yards on 22 carries ... Also returned one kick for 16 yards ... Started at running back for the first time in his career in place of the injured Tyrell Sutton and Omar Conteh against Ohio State ... Gained 34 yards on 14 carries and returned three kickoffs for 57 yards against the Buckeyes ... Brought back three kickoffs for 68 yards vs. Minnesota ... Returned one kickoff for 35 yards at Indiana ... Against Purdue, returned three kickoffs for a season-best 76 yards ... Sat out the Ohio and Iowa games with an injury ... At Duke, returned two kickoffs for 32 yards ... Against Syracuse, returned two kickoffs for 63 yards, including a 40-yard return to open the second half ... Gained 17 yards on the first three rushing attempts of his career ... Also made three tackles on special teams coverage ... Named team's special teams player of the game vs. Syracuse ... Finished season tied for fifth on NU's career list for kickoff return average (22.1 ypr).

2007: Team's NGN Newcomer of the Year Award (Special Teams) winner ... Career highlight came in Big Ten opener vs. Ohio State, when he returned a kickoff 99 yards for a TD -- the second-longest return in NU history ... Averaged a team-best 26.8 yards per return (12 returns) ... Played in final nine games after missing the first three.

2006: Did not see action ... Named team's offensive practice player of the week vs. Iowa.

High School: SuperPrep All-Midlands Region running back ... Ranked the 24th-best player in the Midlands Region (11 states) ... Two-time all-state selection ... A three-time St. Louis Post-Dispatch All-Metro and All-Metro Catholic Conference honoree ... 2004 MCC Player of the Year ... Led the MCC in rushing in both 2004 and 2005 ... Totaled a single-season school record 1,583 rushing yards (6.3 ypg), along with 41 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns in 2005 ... Piled up 1,270 yards (6.0 ypc), 86 receiving yards and 14 TD's in 2004 ... Also eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in 2003, totaling 1,155 yards (5.3 ypc), 72 receiving yards and 4 TD's ... Rushed for 4,007 career yards, tops in SLUH history ... Helped the Jr. Billikens post respective 6-4, 7-3 and 8-2 marks his final three seasons ... FOX-2 and Post-Dispatch Player of the Week honors ... Rushed for a single-game school record 264 yards (32 carries) and two TD's in second career varsity game (vs. Parkway West) ... Ran for 202 yards (21 carries) and three TD's in final career game (vs. Vianney) ... U.S. Army All-American Combine participant ... Hails from the same prep school that produced NU quarterback Steve Schnur ... Also lettered four years in track, setting school marks in the 100-meters (10.3) and 300-meter hurdles (33.1) ... Honor Roll ... Coached by Gary Kornfeld.

Personal: Born Stephen J. Simmons ... Son of Sheila and Charles Simmons ... Father was a track letterwinner at Truman State (formerly Northeast Missouri State University) ... Communication studies major.

The Simmons File
Q: Name five favorite songs (and artist) on your I-Pod:
A: Nelly -- St. Louis; Musiq Soulchild -- Love, Teach Me; Lil' Wayne -- Go DJ, Money on my mind; Mos Def -- Dollar Day; 2pac -- Changes
Q: If you could dine with anyone from any period in history, who would it be?
A: Malcom X
Q: What is the greatest lesson in life that you have learned?
A: Nothing is deeper than love
Q: My favorite place to visit is:
A: My girlfriend's house
Q: Best part about being a Northwestern football player is:
A: Playing in the Big Ten
Q: Describe Coach Fitzgerald in five words or less:
A: Fierce, determined, ruthless
Q: Describe your position coach in five words or less:
A: Hard-working
Q: Most humbling experience:
A: When I worked with autistic children last year
Q: What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
A: Breaking all the high school rushing records
Q: The best book I have ever read is:
A: The Bible
Q: The person that inspires me the most is:
A: My grandfather: Charles Simmons Sr.
Q: When I played football as a kid, I pretended to be:
A: Bo Jackson and Barry Sanders
Q: My favorite pregame ritual is:
A: Prayer
Q: If you could have a starring role in any film already made, which movie would you pick?
A: Superman
Q: My favorite food is:
A: Chicken
Q: My favorite thing about playing at Ryan Field is:
A: Natural grass
Q: My ultimate SportsCenter highlight would be:
A: Scoring the winning touchdown against Ohio State
Q: My favorite television show is:
A: My Wife and Kids
Q: If I were not playing football, I would be:
A: Running track
Q: The three words that best describe me:
A: Determined, tenacious, under-estimated

Simmons' Career Stats

RUSHING                G   Att    Yds  TD  Lg Avg/C Avg/G
2007................  10     4     -3   0   3  -0.8  -0.3
2008................  10    62    178   2  21   2.9  17.8
TOTAL...............  20    66    175   2  21   2.7   8.8
TOTAL OFFENSE          G  Rush  Pass  Total Avg/G
2007................  10    -3     0     -3  -0.3
2008................  10   178     0    178  17.8
TOTAL...............  20   175     0    175   8.8
RECEIVING              G   Rec    Yds  TD  Lg Rec/G Avg/C Avg/G
2007................  10     1     10   0  10   0.1  10.0   1.0
2008................  10     1     11   0  11   0.1  11.0   1.1
TOTAL...............  20     2     21   0  11   0.1  10.5   1.0
SCORING                G    TD  Rush  Pass Retn  PAT 2PAT   FG  Total Avg/G
2007................  10     1     0     0    1    0    0    0      6   0.6
2008................  10     2     2     0    0    0    1    0     14   1.4
TOTAL...............  20     3     2     0    1    0    1    0     20   1.0
KICK RETURNS           G   No.    Yds  TD  Lg Avg/R Avg/G
2007................  10    12    321   1  99  26.8  32.1
2008................  10    23    509   0  40  22.1  50.9
TOTAL...............  20    35    830   1  99  23.7  41.5
ALL PURPOSE            G  Rush   Rec    PR    KR    IR  Total Avg/G
2007................  10    -3    10     0   321     0    328  32.8
2008................  10   178    11     0   509     0    698  69.8
TOTAL...............  20   175    21     0   830     0   1026  51.3
TACKLES                G    UA     A Total    TFL-Yds    PD   FF   FR Blkd
2007................  10     4     2     6    0.0-0       0    0    0    0
2008................  10     1     1     2    0.0-0       0    0    0    0
TOTAL...............  20     5     3     8    0.0-0       0    0    0    0