Calvary Day's Terry Simmons Jr. talks about decision to commit to play football for ACC school

A year ago, Calvary Day's Terry Simmons Jr. was feeling a bit frustrated as the talented defensive lineman wasn't drawing the recruiting interest he and his coaches thought he deserved.

But the 6-foot-2, 295-pounder kept his head down, stayed patient and continued working hard at his craft — putting together an impressive junior campaign that put him on the radar of numerous Power Five coaches.

On Saturday, Simmons had the look of a satisfied young man as he announced his commitment to play at Duke University. The Blue Devils edged out Georgia Tech and UCF, which rounded out his top three schools among the 25 offers he had on the table.

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Simmons made his announcement Saturday in the Calvary gym in honor of his great-grandmother, Diane Green, who was celebrating her birthday and sitting alongside him at the ceremony.

"I've been committed to Duke since April because the coaches made it known that I was a priority for them to me and my family," Simmons Jr. said. "I wanted to do it today, on my great grandmother's birthday, because she has been there since the beginning. I used to live with her when I was young, and she has always been there as my rock to support me and help me with any problems I've had."

Simmons helped lead the Cavaliers to a Region 3A Private title and to the state quarterfinals last year as he racked up 67 tackles, including 19 tackles for loss and three sacks, as well as 12 quarterback hurries. 

"A lot of players talk about achieving their football dreams, but from Day 1 Terry has worked so hard to get where he is today," Calvary Day coach Mark Stroud said. "He has really worked on all the small details — from his hands to his footwork, his strength and technique — to become a great lineman. And he's taken care of business in the classroom as well. Terry has a great sense of humor, he gets along with everyone and is a excellent leader and teammate. He has a great light about him.

"It's great to see a great person like Terry achieve what he has worked so hard for, and we're all very proud of him."

Simmons carries a 3.6 GPA and said he hopes to pursue a STEM major in psychology. He said announcing his commitment early takes the pressure off him for his senior year.

"Everyone was always asking me where I was going, and I was getting so many calls from coaches, so committing now takes a big weight off my shoulders," Simmons said. "It was hectic, but I got through it with the help of my teammates, coaches and family. 

"Now I'm ready to work, and our goal is to win a state championship."

His great grandmother watched with pride as Simmons conducted interviews with the media after the announcement.

"For him to do this on my birthday means so much to me," Green said. "He's always been my big baby. We always tried to keep him on the right path. He was wishy-washy at first, but he's grown and he's succeeded. We're very proud of him."

Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN