Many fans felt that Colin Simmons was robbed of winning the SEC Freshman of the Year, but the Texas Longhorns edge rusher is still receiving major national recognition as his first collegiate season comes closer to an end.

AUSTIN — Texas Longhorns edge rusher Colin Simmons has been named the 2024 winner of the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, the Maxwell Football Club announced Thursday. He’s become the program’s first recipient of the award in its seven-year history.

CFP critics abound, but 12-team playoff is a success Dallas Morning News: Everything to know about Texas-Arizona State: Longhorns look to advance to CFP semis 247Sports: The Insider: 50-plus things Longhorn Nation should be thankful for heading into CFP quarterfinal versus ASU 247Sports: Failed fourth downs and short-yardage ground-game mistakes nearly proved costly for Texas in CFP first round 247Sports: Texas has time to get injured Longhorns Isaiah Bond,

Not many national awards are given out on Christmas Day, but Shaun Alexander made the special call to Texas freshman Colin Simmons. “You know what it means if I call you on Christmas Day,” Alexander told Simmons via FaceTime.