HHF/ GID Interview with Ben Davis Head Coach Jason Simmons

[Guest DT]

HHF Interview with Ben Davis Head Coach Jason Simmons

 

Coach Simmons and his staff are .500 at Ben Davis since taking over 4 years ago. Collectively, the group is looking for a breakout year in 2021.

 

Hello Coach Simmons, and thank you for joining us at Hoosier High School Football

 

Question 1

There is a general perception in Indiana that due to its great size and overabundance of talent, all the Ben Davis football team has to do is show up for opening practice in August and the team is automatically considered a state championship contender. There is another school of thought that says that Ben Davis may be the toughest coaching job in the state due to the incredibly high expectations set by the Dick Dullaghan teams of the 90s. Given that you are at the epicenter of this debate, where does the true reality lie relative to what it is like to run this program given all that goes with it?

Response

It is a tremendous honor to be entrusted with the Standard that is Ben Davis Football everyday. Having a coaching staff and a football team that appreciates the great players, coaches, and teams that have established that Standard is a motivator for us everyday. There are several teams, year in and year out, in Indiana football at the 6A level who are expected to compete. We are fortunate to be one of those teams. High expectations are something that gets people out of their comfort zones and fosters growth. The true reality is we have the support and resources to be successful. It is up to our program to embrace the work and competition needed to be considered a contender everyday. The history of the program doesn't guarantee anything.

 

Question 2

Ben Davis was the clear big dog when the MIC was formed 25 years ago. Slowly and steadily over time, many of the other programs have closed the gap and become competitive in the conference, with 5 schools including the Giants, Warren Central, Center Grove, Carmel and North Central claiming sole or shared conference titles in the past decade. Lawrence North is coming off a very nice season and starting to show signs that they plan to be in the conversation on a regular basis. What is your current assessment of The MIC heading into 2021, and what are the main characteristics that set it apart from all other leagues in the state, and in the midwest region at large?

Response

The MIC is as deep as ever. A lot of times the scores of our games are not always indicative of how competitive the games are. When you look at the MIC as a whole, the depth of the league is starting to show itself with the bulk of players in our league attracting interest from college coaches throughout the country. The MIC has players on the lines of scrimmage and on the perimeter that can compete with anyone in the Midwest. The impact and growth of football is clearly evident in our league where the best athletes in the buildings are playing football.

 

Question 3

Mike Kirschner's 2017 Ben Davis team went 14-0 and rolled to a 6A state championship, and is considered by many to be the best team in school history. The program is only 18-18 in the 3 years since that championship season, including 7-6 last year concluding with a semi state loss to eventual champ Center Grove. A .500 record is wildly uncharacteristic for Ben Davis football, and even more of an anomaly over a 3 year period. What do you attribute the decline in results to, and what changes have you and your staff focused on implementing as you look to get back to your usual winning ways on the west side of Indianapolis?

Response

The 2018 season was a challenging year for our program because of the transition. There were things I would love to have back because that group was not a 4-6 football team. We have had lapses in the past two seasons that have put us in a position to hit a stride later in the year. The start to the 2019 season was continued growth. Our seniors took hold of that team and led us to beat the #1 team in 6A, Warren Central, at our place. We took off after that and made it to the semi-state. We struggled early last season. We started 2-5 and struggled to overcome the complications from COVID that impacted our program a great deal. Our senior class kept our team together for us to win our final two regular season games, the sectional, and the regional. Our staff continues to work to put our players in the best possible position to be successful. Having a full off-season to build relationships and trust with our players is going to pay dividends for us moving forward.

 

Question 4

What will be the core identity of this 2021 Giants team, and what offensive and defensive schemes will you deploy as you look to open up the new season?

Response

Our identity will be a football team that wants to put pressure on opponents in all three phases of the game. We want to push tempo with our spread offense while putting pressure on opposing offenses. We want to clean up the penalty issues that haunted us early in the 2020 season and be a more disciplined team. We have spent a lot of time working on our physical and mental toughness preparing for the 2021 season.

 

Question 5

You've got some talented kids coming back from that semi state team of 2020. Who will be some of your top performers both offensively and defensively, and what are you looking for out of your special teams units this year?

Response

Offense

Dillon Moore and Donell Mason at WR - both returning starters and our top 2 WRs a year ago

J'uan Swanson and Chris Patterson at QB - both players played last year, J'uan was the starter and had a really good end to the season

Devon Wiley at TB - took over in the Regional and closed the season in a big way, can catch the ball out of the backfield and win at all levels in the run game

Keylen Davis, Mady Sidibe, Marcus Howard, and Cameron Davenport - four big OL that will look to be anchors for us this season

Defense

Myron Green on the DL - returning starter from the last part of the season, physical specimen that will be a disruptor

Keoke Toomer and Dillon Moore at LB - Keoke is on pace to leave BD in the Top 5 of career tackles, Dillon is a FBS recruit at LB in addition to his WR play

Serrell Curtis, Dalijah Marks, Donell Mason, Graham West in the secondary - will eagerly be filling the shoes of graduated veterans

 

Question 6

Free and reduced lunch rates are a key socio economic indicator and in many ways correlate directly to success or failure on the gridiron. Ben Davis, like many schools in Indianapolis, has a growing free and reduced lunch rate, and combined with Covid related challenges, these issues can impact rosters and cause significant stress for a football team. How is BD managing through these issues, and how have you personally been involved and impacted given your responsibility for the entire program?

Response

We have the best administration when it comes to support. We are aligned from the Superintendent's office through our Principal's office, and athletic office. We have leaned on our program alumni to help fill the void for us when we aren't able to take care of things through the school and program. Our custodial staff and food services staff is extremely supportive of our program too. Those pieces are critical when it comes to overcoming COVID challenges. Staying tapped into our players has been the biggest challenge for us as we navigate the challenges COVID presented.

 

Question 7

While BD has always been blessed with a roster full of physically gifted athletes, strength and speed conditioning and training have taken a front and center position and become a difference maker in high school sports, especially at the big school level. Many schools in the MIC and The HCC employ dedicated strength coaches who work one on one with athletes throughout the year. How would you assess your strength and conditioning program at Ben Davis, and do you feel you are keeping up with the other schools at the top end of the conference hierarchy?

Response

Coach Vanderbush and our strength program have set the bar in the State of Indiana for a long time. We have a Hall of Fame strength coach that believes in developing the whole athlete. He has evolved over the years to meet the needs of our athletes. He has been instrumental in the growth of our football team during the first full off-season since 2019. His experiences, mentorship, and guidance have helped to grow our players in the weight room and in life. There is no doubt in my mind we are keeping up with the top programs in our conference.

 

Question 8

Free time away from the game is a rarity at this time of the year. When you are fortunate to get some down time, what do you like to do outside of football ?

Response

I like to spend time on our patio with our family, watch our daughters compete in soccer, and watch our youngest son compete in baseball and flag football. I love being around the game of football and sports in general. If I am not watching sports, then I am relaxing with friends and trying to clear the brain.

 

Question 9

You see many college coaches at all levels who are in constant recruiting mode looking for the next group of great players to come through the system. What is your take on the general outlook of Power 5 coaches relative to their attitudes about recruiting Indiana high school football players? Are our best players getting the attention they deserve? Has the emergence of Tom Allen's program at IU and the strong recruiting of Jeff Brohm at Purdue brought more attention to in state recruits?

Response

The recruitment of Indiana HS football players has been interesting to me over the past couple of years. Indiana has recruited the Top 5% of Indiana HS football players while maintaining a strong footprint in Florida and Georgia. Purdue has targeted a similar % of Indiana players from Central Indiana to the North. More and more states are coming to Indiana to recruit the top players in the state. We have top tier players that have P5 offers and the opportunity to go play throughout the country. The depth of football players in Indiana has brought a lot of college coaches in the area to recruit our players.

 

Question 10

Of the many hats you wear, one is as an IFCA Administrator. What are your duties and responsibilities in this role, and how do you balance it with your teaching and coaching duties at Ben Davis?

Response

I am currently the Assistant Executive Director for the IFCA. I have an impact on a lot of different areas within our organization. Outside of my parents, my coaches were the most impactful people in my life. The involvement in the IFCA allows me to give back to a game that has given we so much. It's an easy balance to incorporate the in-season responsibilities with the duties of being the Head Football Coach at Ben Davis HS and a teacher in the building.

 

Question 11

As we discussed earlier, regardless of graduation losses, expectations are always sky high at Ben Davis. You open the season against HCC powers Brownsburg and Avon, and then jump right into The MIC schedule in week 3 against Pike. What are your expectations for this 2021 Ben Davis football team, and do you feel the team is well prepared coming out of summer workouts?

Response

We are working to get better everyday so we can represent the Standard that is Ben Davis Football. We are excited about our schedule and the challenges that exist week in and week out. The schedule challenges us to keep a narrow focus and drive to grow every day. We expect to compete and embrace the work that goes into giving us a chance to compete with the best in the State of Indiana.

 

Thanks Coach and best of luck this season.

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

[southend]

Well, I guess the jury will be out until November, for this team. Hope they snap back into contention. 

[BDGiant93]

2 hours ago, southend said:

Well, I guess the jury will be out until November, for this team. Hope they snap back into contention. 

Been to the Final Four the last two years. They've been "in contention".

Jason's a fantastic guy. Nice interview. We'll see what the Giants have in a little over a week. If it's not the toughest schedule in the state, it's in the top 5. 

Brownsburg-Avon-Pike-Center Grove-Warren-LN-Carmel-LC-NC.

[HoosierFB_JG]

3 hours ago, southend said:

Well, I guess the jury will be out until November, for this team. Hope they snap back into contention. 

Two years ago they were in the Semi-State and lost by 1 TD.  Last year they were in the Semi-State, beating Carmel in the regional. I’d say that’s “in contention.”