Ex-Nebraska football quarterback gets another shot at the spotlight

Former Nebraska football quarterback Jeff Sims has certainly had a wild ride as a college football quarterback. He’s gone from starting at Georgia Tech, to starting and then losing his job with the Huskers, to backup at Arizona State … to starting for a Big 12 team that is inexplicably contending for a conference title.

Just last year, it felt like Sims’ career getting meaningful snaps was over. After losing his starting job for good and then entering the portal, it took him quite a while to find a new landing spot. But he has found that landing spot now. On Saturday, he’ll get his chance to show he can still be a starter.

The former Nebraska football QB1 will get the start for the Sun Devils this weekend thanks to original starter Sam Leavitt going down with a rib injury. Leavitt could be out as long as a month.

Ex-Nebraska football QB Jeff Sims gets another shot at the spotlight

That’s enough time for Sims to show he can be a competent starter again. It could also be enough time to show that whatever case of the yips he developed in Lincoln is still there.

Sims has always been a bit turnover-prone, but he took that to another level with the Huskers to the point where it became an open question as to whether he could field a snap.

He did play last week for a few snaps when Leavitt was hurt in Arizona State’s 27-19 win. He even scored a touchdown and threw two passes. Now he’s going to see more action. And if he can be successful, the Sun Devils can continue their surprise campaign for a conference title. 

It starts on Saturday against Cincinnati. Should he play well there, he has a chance to start against Oklahoma State. And the former Nebraska football quarterback could be on the cusp of at least leading his new team to a bowl game.