REFORM, Ala. — It doesn’t matter to Devonte Simon whether he has success on offense or defense.
As a go-to player on both sides of the football, the Pickens County High School senior knows the team’s record is the most important barometer of his leadership skills.
Based on the Tornadoes’ 15-0 run to the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 1A state title, Simon’s final prep football season was a rousing success.
While Simon attracted a lot of attention with his running and throwing ability as quarterback, Simon had just as big an impact on games at defensive back, making six interceptions and 36 tackles. Factor in more than 1,700 yards passing and more than 1,100 yards rushing and it is easy to see why Simon is The Dispatch’s West Alabama All-Area Defensive Player of the Year.
“When I was here in 2008, I think Devonte was a seventh-grader, but I knew then he was going to be a leader,” Pickens County High School coach Patrick Plott said. “He just had it in him. Most times, he just leads by example. When it comes to running sprints, he is the first one to run the sprints. When it comes to any drill, he would be the first one in the line. It didn’t matter whether it was offense, defense, special teams, he was going to try to lead by example.”
Simon teamed with senior running back Jermarcus Brown to help lead Pickens County to its first state crown and a 15-0 record. Pickens County capped that run with a 38-18 victory against Maplesville on Dec. 5 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Simon showcased his dual-threat capabilities, rushing for 100 yards and a touchdown and throwing for two more TDs. He also had an interception that stopped a potential scoring opportunity.
Earlier this month, the Alabama Sports Writers Association recognized Simon for his accomplishments by naming him first-team Class 1A All-State as an athlete.
“It is all about winning,” Simon said. “That is what comes first.”
Simon’s love for making plays allowed him to carry the same intensity on both sides of the ball. He feels that mind-set helped him earn the trust and respect of his teammates so they emulated his efforts.
Simon has attracted interest from multiple colleges that project him at different positions. He said he has received interest from schools ranging from Northwest Mississippi Community College to Murray State and could play anywhere from wide receiver to safety. Earlier this month, he said he hadn’t narrowed his college options, but he said where he played wasn’t going to factor into his picking one school over another. In fact, he said he would prefer to go to any school as an athlete so he could make his mark in a number of ways.
Simon did that and then some for the Tornadoes. On offense, the lanky right-hander had a canon of an arm that Plott used to test opponents deep. His athleticism also enabled the Tornadoes to use a variety of roll-our routes in which Simon moved the pocket to give him extra time to see the field and spread the defenses. He finished the season 109 for 202 for 1,724 yards, 20 touchdowns, and three interceptions.
If no one was open, Simon also could create additional headaches for opponents by taking off and running. That proved troublesome because teams already had to game plan to stop Brown. Simon showed he had as much potential to break a game open by rushing 145 times for 1,131 yards and eight touchdowns.
Simon said it is “hard to say” which side of the ball he is better. He was recognized as a sophomore as a first-team All-State quarterback, and feels he has matured at that position. He has cut down on the number of interceptions he has thrown and learned how to use his legs to escape pressure and to avoid turning the football over.
“I just take what the defenses give me,” Simon said. “(In the playoffs), Hubbertville wasn’t blitzing and played our receivers one-on-one, which allowed me to throw the ball. Maplesville did more blitzing, so I had to run more.”
Simon’s ability to produce every week allowed him to keep everybody focused on the team’s goal of winning a state title. From the victory against Fayette in the first week of the season, Pickens County was seen as a likely favorite to win the state title this season. With the disappointment of a one-point loss to Marion County in 2012 still fresh in everyone’s minds, Simon relished the role of being a leader whose primary responsibility — on offense and on defense — was to help push the Tornadoes to realize their dream.
Either way you look, Simon did that with the deft touch of an experienced leader.
“I had to be focused at all times,” Simon said. “You can’t tell someone to be focused and you’re not focused. I knew my teammates were watching me. As a leader, you have to set an example for people. I just tried to go hard and tried to push my players to their limits.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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