Web posted January 1, 1998

By Rob Mueller
Staff Writer

ATLANTA -- This has been a strange week for Anthony Simmons.

Strange, because, in a somewhat confusing way, he finds he is envious of teammates like Raymond Priester and Nealon Greene.

When Clemson (7-4) faces Auburn (9-3) in the Peach Bowl on Friday at the Georgia Dome (ESPN, 3 p.m.), 19 seniors will take the field knowing that, in mere hours, their college careers will be over.

Simmons, the Tigers' junior first-team All-American at inside linebacker, doesn't have that luxury.

He does not know is Friday will be his last Clemson appearance, as well.

``That's the difficult thing, not knowing when your last game's going to be,'' said Simmons, facing the painstaking decision to return for his senior season or enter the NFL Draft. ``I just take every game like it's going to be my last game.''

Uncertainty has proven to be quite taxing on Clemson's second all-time leading tackler, but in limbo is where he is bent on remaining, at least for now.

Simmons' immediate focus is on helping the Tigers stop Auburn and quarterback Dameyune Craig -- responsible for about 75 percent of Auburn's offense with 3,277 yards passing -- to conclude another brilliant individual season with an elusive bowl victory for Clemson.

``I don't dread playing anybody else.'' Simmons said of Craig. ``Everybody's going to have a great player on their team and they just happen to have a great player at quarterback.''

Still, pressures from the outside have been overwhelming. Pressure from the NFL's impending Jan. 9 deadline to make his intentions for next season clear. Pressure to cash in on now on his athletic gifts and give his family back home in Spartanburg, S.C., the life they've always dreamed of. Pressure to fight the temptation and lead Clemson back on the road to national prominence.

``I enjoy (college) but I really have to take into consideration my future and my family and whether or not the opportunity's going to be there next year,'' Simmons said. ``I'm probably farther (away from a decision) than I was a couple of weeks ago. It's getting pretty hectic right now a lot of things are confusing.''

Since last summer, the 6-foot-1, 225-pounder has been projected as a first- or second-round draft choice and he maintained that status by leading the Atlantic Coast Conference this season in tackles (144) and tackles for loss (21). Despite a slow start due to a September hip pointer injury, his presence keyed a Clemson defense that ranks sixth in the nation against the run and 18th in scoring defense and total defense.

But several factors could entice Simmons to stay.

With players like North Carolina's Brian Simmons, Georgia Tech's Keith Brooking and perhaps Auburn junior Takeo Spikes, the former Washington County star who faces the same decision in the coming days, 1997 could prove to be one of the better linebacking crops in recent years.

Then there's the chance to win the Butkus Award, given to the nation's top linebacker, to become Clemson's all-time leading tackler (he needs just 43 to surpass Bubba Brown and maybe to become only the second defensive player to enter Clemson's Ring of Honor. All these are alluring to Simmons.

Clemson coach Tommy West has some ideas about Simmons' future but, like the 21-year-old, he is also unsure.

``If Anthony says they're projecting him (as the 15th overall pick) or above, then I think he has no decision, and I'd encourage him to enter the draft,'' West said. ``I think if he's 15 or below then I think he's got a decision to make now, because there's no doubt he can improve his status. The tough thing for Anthony is that he's not unhappy where he is he's not unhappy with what he's doing. Decisions are easy if you want to leave.''

For now, Simmons promises he's taking it one day at a time. And he promises to approach Friday's game just as Priester and Greene.

``You never know when you're going to be able to suit up again,'' Simmons said. ``You've got to take that into consideration every time you step on the field that it could be your last game. I'm taking it personally to go out and play a great game because you never know what's going to happen.''