Ken Simonton
Encyclopedia
Ken Simonton III is an American football
running back
who last played in the CFL
for the Calgary Stampeders
after a brief career in the NFL
and the NFL Europe
.
Pirates. As a sophomore, Simonton rushed for 1,135 yards in 10 games on 105 carries for an average of 10.8 yards per carry. In his junior year, he rushed for 785 yards in eight games on 47 carries for an average of 16.7 yards per carry. For his senior season, Simonton rushed for 960 yards on 92 carries for a 10.4 yard average and scored 23 touchdowns. Simonton was a three-time all-league selection as a running back and he was also named all-league as a defensive back in his senior year. He was a first-team All-Northern California selection, a first-team all-region selection by the Contra Costa Times
and was named Offensive Player of the Year in the region by Sports Focus.
Simonton played outfield for the Pirates baseball team and was all-league as a sophomore, junior and senior. He was listed in Parade Magazine in 1996 as one of the top 100 college baseball prospects in the nation.
and was recruited to come to the Trojans by assistant coach Mike Riley
. That same Mike Riley was hired as the head coach of the Oregon State Beavers football
program in 1997. Simonton chose to follow Riley to Oregon State instead of going to USC.
In his freshman season, Simonton had 1,028 rushing yards, only the second time a freshman running back had rushed for over a 1,000 yards in the Pac-10. He became the first freshman to ever rush for over 100 yards in his first game for Oregon State and then the first freshman to have back-to-back 100-yard rushing games. Simonton finished fourth in the Pac-10 in rushing with an average of 93.5 yards per game and was fourth in scoring with 78 points and 7.1 average points per game. The Beavers named him the co-winner of their Rookie of the Year award.
Simonton's sophomore season built upon the success of his freshman year. He set an OSU single-season scoring record with 118 points, single-season rushing record with 1,486 yards, and all-purpose running mark with 1,705 yards. For his success, he was named second team All-Pac-10, first team All-Pac-10 by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
, first team All-Pac-10 by the Football News, honorable mention All-American by the Football News, and he was selected OSU’s MVP of the Oahu Bowl
vs. Hawaii
. He established a Beaver record by rushing for over 100 yards in five straight games.
Firmly entrenched as one of the premier tailbacks in the Pac-10, Simonton rushed for 1,559 yards in his junior season, again a school record at the time. His efforts earned him a spot on the first team All-Pac-10 Conference and first team All-American rosters as well as being named the College Football News
Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year and finishing ninth on the Heisman Trophy
Ballot. Simonton was chosen to serve as one of OSU's captains during the 2000 season, which concluded with a 41-9 victory over Notre Dame
in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl
, a 11-1 record, a 4th place ranking in the country.
After a 1st place pre-season ranking by Sports Illustrated
and cover photo on the magazine, Simonton's senior season did not quite go as expected. There was a strong belief through Beaver Nation and in the Pac-10 that Simonton had a legitimate shot at the Heisman Trophy. With a 1,000 yard season, he would become the only the fifth player in the NCAA (1st in the Pac-10) to have a 1,000 yards rushing in each of their four seasons. Simonton totaled 971 rushing yards on 239 carries with 8 touchdowns in his senior year, coming within 29 yards of his 4th consecutive 1,000 yard season. He left Oregon State with 5,044 rushing yards, which is still the school rushing record.
Simonton majored in liberal studies at Oregon State.
, mainly due to questions of his size and durability and how that would translate into an NFL running back. He signed a free agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers
on April 26, 2002 but was released shortly thereafter.
Simonton next signed with the Buffalo Bills
January 23, 2003. The Bills allocated him to the Scottish Claymores
of NFL Europe
on March 1, 2003. As a player for the Scottish Claymores, Simonton set a team record for rushing touchdowns in a season with 8. He was selected as the NFL Europe Offensive MVP after having a league-high 841 rushing yards as well as 39 receptions, which was 4th in league.
Feeling good from his success in NFL Europe and hoping for an increased role in the NFL, Simonton returned to Buffalo September 2, 2003. He hung on with the team for the season, getting minimal playing time. He was released September 9, 2004
Simonton was again signed by the San Francisco 49ers in November 2004 by former college coach Dennis Erickson
. After signing with the Detroit Lions
in early 2005, he chose to retire from the NFL on April 5, 2005.
Simonton signed with the Calgary Stampeders
on May 5, 2007. He played in only one game, and was released on July 14, 2008.
farm system in 1975. His brother Benji Simonton spent eight seasons in the San Francisco Giants
and Anaheim Angels organizations and his cousin Cy Simonton played three seasons in the Seattle Mariners
organization. Simonton originally intended to play both baseball and football at Oregon State.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
who last played in the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
for the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
after a brief career in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and the NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
.
Early life
Simonton was a two-sport (football and baseball) star for the Pittsburg High SchoolPittsburg High School (California)
Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Contra Costa County, California is a suburban school serving all of Pittsburg. It has been in operation since 1924. Over 2,200 students attend the school, which used to be divided into three campuses: East Campus, Main Campus, and North Campus, but since the...
Pirates. As a sophomore, Simonton rushed for 1,135 yards in 10 games on 105 carries for an average of 10.8 yards per carry. In his junior year, he rushed for 785 yards in eight games on 47 carries for an average of 16.7 yards per carry. For his senior season, Simonton rushed for 960 yards on 92 carries for a 10.4 yard average and scored 23 touchdowns. Simonton was a three-time all-league selection as a running back and he was also named all-league as a defensive back in his senior year. He was a first-team All-Northern California selection, a first-team all-region selection by the Contra Costa Times
Contra Costa Times
The Contra Costa Times is a daily newspaper based in Walnut Creek, California, U.S.. The paper serves Contra Costa and eastern Alameda counties, in the eastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area...
and was named Offensive Player of the Year in the region by Sports Focus.
Simonton played outfield for the Pirates baseball team and was all-league as a sophomore, junior and senior. He was listed in Parade Magazine in 1996 as one of the top 100 college baseball prospects in the nation.
College career
Simonton always wanted to attend USCUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and was recruited to come to the Trojans by assistant coach Mike Riley
Mike Riley
Michael Joseph "Mike" Riley is an American football coach, currently the head coach of the Oregon State Beavers of the Pacific-12 Conference...
. That same Mike Riley was hired as the head coach of the Oregon State Beavers football
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...
program in 1997. Simonton chose to follow Riley to Oregon State instead of going to USC.
In his freshman season, Simonton had 1,028 rushing yards, only the second time a freshman running back had rushed for over a 1,000 yards in the Pac-10. He became the first freshman to ever rush for over 100 yards in his first game for Oregon State and then the first freshman to have back-to-back 100-yard rushing games. Simonton finished fourth in the Pac-10 in rushing with an average of 93.5 yards per game and was fourth in scoring with 78 points and 7.1 average points per game. The Beavers named him the co-winner of their Rookie of the Year award.
Simonton's sophomore season built upon the success of his freshman year. He set an OSU single-season scoring record with 118 points, single-season rushing record with 1,486 yards, and all-purpose running mark with 1,705 yards. For his success, he was named second team All-Pac-10, first team All-Pac-10 by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is an online newspaper and former print newspaper covering Seattle, Washington, United States, and the surrounding metropolitan area...
, first team All-Pac-10 by the Football News, honorable mention All-American by the Football News, and he was selected OSU’s MVP of the Oahu Bowl
Oahu Bowl
The Oahu Bowl is a now defunct National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision bowl game played in Honolulu, Hawaii at Aloha Stadium. Played on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, the Oahu Bowl was sponsored by Jeep motor company...
vs. Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
. He established a Beaver record by rushing for over 100 yards in five straight games.
Firmly entrenched as one of the premier tailbacks in the Pac-10, Simonton rushed for 1,559 yards in his junior season, again a school record at the time. His efforts earned him a spot on the first team All-Pac-10 Conference and first team All-American rosters as well as being named the College Football News
College Football News
College Football News is a magazine and website published by College Football News, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. News coverage includes scores, statistics, rankings, and reports on college football games. Analysis includes comparisons between teams, predictions of game outcomes and...
Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year and finishing ninth on the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
Ballot. Simonton was chosen to serve as one of OSU's captains during the 2000 season, which concluded with a 41-9 victory over Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
, a 11-1 record, a 4th place ranking in the country.
After a 1st place pre-season ranking by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
and cover photo on the magazine, Simonton's senior season did not quite go as expected. There was a strong belief through Beaver Nation and in the Pac-10 that Simonton had a legitimate shot at the Heisman Trophy. With a 1,000 yard season, he would become the only the fifth player in the NCAA (1st in the Pac-10) to have a 1,000 yards rushing in each of their four seasons. Simonton totaled 971 rushing yards on 239 carries with 8 touchdowns in his senior year, coming within 29 yards of his 4th consecutive 1,000 yard season. He left Oregon State with 5,044 rushing yards, which is still the school rushing record.
Simonton majored in liberal studies at Oregon State.
Pro career
Simonton was undrafted in the 2002 NFL Draft2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
, mainly due to questions of his size and durability and how that would translate into an NFL running back. He signed a free agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
on April 26, 2002 but was released shortly thereafter.
Simonton next signed with the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
January 23, 2003. The Bills allocated him to the Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
of NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
on March 1, 2003. As a player for the Scottish Claymores, Simonton set a team record for rushing touchdowns in a season with 8. He was selected as the NFL Europe Offensive MVP after having a league-high 841 rushing yards as well as 39 receptions, which was 4th in league.
Feeling good from his success in NFL Europe and hoping for an increased role in the NFL, Simonton returned to Buffalo September 2, 2003. He hung on with the team for the season, getting minimal playing time. He was released September 9, 2004
Simonton was again signed by the San Francisco 49ers in November 2004 by former college coach Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson is an American football coach and former player. He was the head football coach at Arizona State University until November 28, 2011, a position he had held since the 2007 season. In 2008 the Arizona Board of Regents had approved a contract extension to keep Erickson at Arizona...
. After signing with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in early 2005, he chose to retire from the NFL on April 5, 2005.
Simonton signed with the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
on May 5, 2007. He played in only one game, and was released on July 14, 2008.
Personal life
Simonton's family has a history of baseball. His father, Ken Simonton II played in the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
farm system in 1975. His brother Benji Simonton spent eight seasons in the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
and Anaheim Angels organizations and his cousin Cy Simonton played three seasons in the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
organization. Simonton originally intended to play both baseball and football at Oregon State.