Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 59-7vs Texas State | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 1 | 11 | Season-high 19 yds |
| Wk 3 | W 30-6vs UTSA | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 19 | 3.1 | 1 | 11 |
#31
James Simon
Freshman running back for Texas. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 208 lb · Shreveport, LA · Calvary Baptist Academy
The numbers
19
rushing yards · 2026 · through week 3
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 19 rush yds, 1 TD, vs Texas State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Freshman running back for Texas. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Texas in 2025.
Buzz vs Tape
Country hotter than the fans
The wider college football conversation reads him warmer than his own fans do — a gap of 16.4 points in belief.
20.3own fans
36.7national conversation
I was saying before how I’ve been a James Simon fan. Within 5 yards,and you will get a TD😅😊
James Simon
He has spent two seasons in the Texas backfield. The receipt on tape: 19 rush yds, 1 rush TD against Texas State, Week 1, 2026.
19 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 4 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
20253 games
- Signed with Texas4-star out of Calvary Baptist Academy
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Texas
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Career stats
Game log
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Steve Sarkisian — 13-3 over that span.
2025Texas10-3HC: Steve Sarkisian · Balanced
2026Texas3-0HC: Steve Sarkisian · Run-leaning, fast tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 9.5 YDS/g, 3.1 YPC, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Steve Sarkisian
Pass share
45.9%
105 pass / 124 run
Plays / game
76.3
3 games
Team sack rate
3.5%
115 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning, fast tempo.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #214
Peaked at #214 this season.
Background
A second-year running back who has played in three games ... named to the 2025-26 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll. FRESHMAN (2025) Made collegiate debut vs. UTEP (9/13), recording 17 carries for 67 yards (3.9 ypc) and catching one pass for eight yards ... produced 50 rushing yards on nine…
The backfield · Texas
- Raleek Brown1,141 rushing yards · 2025
- #2Daylan Smothers939 rushing yards · 2025
- #31James Simon122 rushing yards · 2025
- #21Ryan Niblett15 rushing yards · 2025
- #11Michael Terry III0 rushing yards · 2025
3 more on the roster · Texas team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology