By Chad Conine

Tribune-Herald staff writer

A year after Connally’s D’Andre Simmons opted to focus on basketball as a junior for the Cadets, Simmons has returned to the gridiron and charted the course for his college career.

Simmons, who at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds will likely play defensive end in college, said Thursday that he’s committed to playing college football at Baylor.

Simmons played football in the Connally program through his sophomore season, then concentrated on basketball and became the Super Centex Player of the Year for the 2007-08 campaign. He came back to the Connally football field for offseason practice in the spring and attended several football camps this summer where he garnered the attention of some college coaches.

“They saw that I could move pretty good,” Simmons said. “People started talking to me about playing at Baylor, and I thought it was a good opportunity to play here in Waco.”

North Crowley offensive tackle Cyril Richardson (6-6, 305) also committed to the Bears, according to rivals.com. Simmons and Richardson bring Baylor’s list of commitments to 13 for the 2009 signing class. That group includes seven players on either the offensive or defensive lines.

As a junior, Simmons averaged 13 points and 15 rebounds for a Connally basketball team that advanced to the regional tournament.

But college recruiters began to see a future for him on the defensive line in football. Simmons returned home from a basketball tournament Sunday to find that Baylor had offered him a scholarship.

“I had a message that if I ever wanted to play football for Baylor, I had a place,” Simmons said.

After discussing the offer with his parents, Simmons said he gave his commitment to Baylor coach Art Briles on Thursday.

Simmons said he’ll likely play inside receiver in Connally’s spread offensive system as well as defensive end as a senior.

Connally starts practice for the upcoming season Monday, the opening day for Texas high school football programs that didn’t have after-school spring drills.

“This gets me pumped up,” Simmons said. “I’m ready for Monday.”