SE: Simoneau Enters K-State Athletics HOF with Great Pride, Gratitude for Time as Wildcat
Sep 25, 2018 | Football, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Mark Simoneau, part of this year's K-State Athletics Hall of Fame class, will be honored for his individual achievements this weekend. But he's not going in alone, at least not in his eyes. And not because eight others are in the class with him, either.
No, Simoneau said he views the induction as an honor that encompasses all the people who helped make it possible.
"I feel like whenever you're recognized, it's not really about you as much as it's about your teammates and the coaches that you worked with and all the people over the course of your life who have had an impact on you, from your family to the coaches that you had through the years, the teams I had an opportunity to be on and the players that were on those teams," the former standout linebacker said. "Whenever you are recognized in that way, you understand how big of an impact all those people had."
The Hall of Fame honor, Simoneau said, affected him in a way similar to when he returns to Manhattan for a game. It prompted him to reflect. Then, a sense of pride came over him — again, for what the team was able to do.
"I just take a great amount of pride in what we were able to accomplish during the years. I came a little bit after what I would say what the foundation of the program was, when Coach Snyder got there and the guys that were able to get the ship turned, when you went from winning no games to winning that first to putting a few wins on the board," Simoneau said. "I just take pride in the fact that we were able to continue to take the program to another level while we were there."
Simoneau played for K-State (1996-99) during the best four-year period in the program's history. The Wildcats went 42-7 during his four years as a starter, making it to four bowl games and winning two Big 12 North titles.
About 20 years later, Simoneau said two memories stand out among his time in a K-State uniform.
First, he said, was the 1997 Fiesta Bowl win (35-18) over a Donovan McNabb-led Syracuse team.
"It was (Michael) Bishop's first year. It was a New Year's Day bowl. It was a primetime game and we performed really well, and it was just a great trip," Simoneau said. "I always looked back at that game fondly."
The other took place in 1998, when K-State ended a 29-year drought against Nebraska with a 40-30 win. The game ended with thousands of Wildcats fans on the field, some of whom helped tear down the goalposts.
"The crowd rushed the field like three different times, I think," he said. "It was just a great memory."
Simoneau walked away from K-State as a two-time All-American, including a consensus pick as a senior. Also, in 1999, he was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and was runner-up for the Butkus Award. His name was added to the K-State's Ring of Honor in 2008 and to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012. He still ranks first in school history with 251 unassisted tackles and third with 400 total tackles.
As relevant as his name still is to K-State football, Simoneau said the impact the program had on him is still prevalent in everything he does.
"Obviously when you go through a program, it's going to have an impact, especially one that is as involved as a Division I football program. Then, when you stack on the fact that it's Bill Snyder's Division I football program that he's running, it's going to have a lasting impact," he said. "I would say the way Coach (Snyder) looks at all the details, the attention to detail, and separating yourself by doing the little things right is probably what I took away from the program the most.
"Then just the consistency," Simoneau continued. "Coach always talks about how if you can just keep stacking those days on top of other days, then it's infinite how good you can be. That's what I think I took away from the program. All of that transitions to anything you're trying to do in life. Whether it's in business or even as a father, you just want to be the best that you can be. That takes having the right intent every single day."
A third-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2000 NFL Draft, Simoneau started a professional career that ended in 2010 with more than 400 tackles. It's a part of his life he said he never really saw coming before he got to K-State — the only Division I school offer him a scholarship offer out of Smith Center.
"When I was a freshman in high school, I never could have dreamed what would have happened over the next 15 years of my life," said Simoneau, whose brother, Jeff, played at K-State before him. "I feel blessed that I was able to get to Kansas State, be in that program on a really, really good football team with great people, great teammates, great coaches. It set me up to be able to play pro football, which, again, that was not my dream. I mean, it was a dream in the sense that it's anybody's dream, but not in the, 'Hey, this is going to happen for me.'"
Upon retiring from football, Simoneau opened his own sports performance gym in the Kanas City area, where he trained athletes of all ages. More than a handful ended up at K-State, such as former Wildcat and current Cincinnati Bengal Jordan Willis. Current Wildcats like Kyle Ball, Wyatt Hubert and Blaise Gammon also trained with Simoneau at one point. All received some insight into what the program would be like.
"I tried to warn them that it was going to be a tough road, but if they were committed to the process they would walk out the best player and person they could be," Simoneau said. "Anybody I talk to about the program — and I only have one program to go off of — I think that it's one that will get the most out of whatever your ability is."
This year, Simoneau switched from the private sector to become a strength and conditioning instructor at Gardner Edgerton High School. He's also helping coach linebackers for the football team, off to a 4-0 start with a battle against Olathe Northwest this Friday.
Both have been opportunities, Simoneau said, to pass along the impact K-State had on him to a greater number of people.
"We're just teaching skills, but I think that even though they're physical skills, they can be things that can transfer into other parts of their life, as far as learning to how to focus, to work consistently and all those really positive things that we get from athletics," he said. "That's what I feel like I enjoy most about the job is to be able to pass along not only, 'Hey, this how you squat or do a hang clean, or these are the sprint mechanics you need to work on,' but to be able to adapt and get them to understand that if I'm consistent in this, I can get better and better and that's going to transfer to other things in my life, whether it's being a good brother or sister, son or daughter, or later in life being a good employee or a business owner, whatever it might be."
Mark Simoneau, part of this year's K-State Athletics Hall of Fame class, will be honored for his individual achievements this weekend. But he's not going in alone, at least not in his eyes. And not because eight others are in the class with him, either.
No, Simoneau said he views the induction as an honor that encompasses all the people who helped make it possible.
"I feel like whenever you're recognized, it's not really about you as much as it's about your teammates and the coaches that you worked with and all the people over the course of your life who have had an impact on you, from your family to the coaches that you had through the years, the teams I had an opportunity to be on and the players that were on those teams," the former standout linebacker said. "Whenever you are recognized in that way, you understand how big of an impact all those people had."
The Hall of Fame honor, Simoneau said, affected him in a way similar to when he returns to Manhattan for a game. It prompted him to reflect. Then, a sense of pride came over him — again, for what the team was able to do.
"I just take a great amount of pride in what we were able to accomplish during the years. I came a little bit after what I would say what the foundation of the program was, when Coach Snyder got there and the guys that were able to get the ship turned, when you went from winning no games to winning that first to putting a few wins on the board," Simoneau said. "I just take pride in the fact that we were able to continue to take the program to another level while we were there."
Simoneau played for K-State (1996-99) during the best four-year period in the program's history. The Wildcats went 42-7 during his four years as a starter, making it to four bowl games and winning two Big 12 North titles.
About 20 years later, Simoneau said two memories stand out among his time in a K-State uniform.
First, he said, was the 1997 Fiesta Bowl win (35-18) over a Donovan McNabb-led Syracuse team.
"It was (Michael) Bishop's first year. It was a New Year's Day bowl. It was a primetime game and we performed really well, and it was just a great trip," Simoneau said. "I always looked back at that game fondly."
The other took place in 1998, when K-State ended a 29-year drought against Nebraska with a 40-30 win. The game ended with thousands of Wildcats fans on the field, some of whom helped tear down the goalposts.
"The crowd rushed the field like three different times, I think," he said. "It was just a great memory."
Simoneau walked away from K-State as a two-time All-American, including a consensus pick as a senior. Also, in 1999, he was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and was runner-up for the Butkus Award. His name was added to the K-State's Ring of Honor in 2008 and to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012. He still ranks first in school history with 251 unassisted tackles and third with 400 total tackles.
As relevant as his name still is to K-State football, Simoneau said the impact the program had on him is still prevalent in everything he does.
"Obviously when you go through a program, it's going to have an impact, especially one that is as involved as a Division I football program. Then, when you stack on the fact that it's Bill Snyder's Division I football program that he's running, it's going to have a lasting impact," he said. "I would say the way Coach (Snyder) looks at all the details, the attention to detail, and separating yourself by doing the little things right is probably what I took away from the program the most.
"Then just the consistency," Simoneau continued. "Coach always talks about how if you can just keep stacking those days on top of other days, then it's infinite how good you can be. That's what I think I took away from the program. All of that transitions to anything you're trying to do in life. Whether it's in business or even as a father, you just want to be the best that you can be. That takes having the right intent every single day."
A third-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2000 NFL Draft, Simoneau started a professional career that ended in 2010 with more than 400 tackles. It's a part of his life he said he never really saw coming before he got to K-State — the only Division I school offer him a scholarship offer out of Smith Center.
"When I was a freshman in high school, I never could have dreamed what would have happened over the next 15 years of my life," said Simoneau, whose brother, Jeff, played at K-State before him. "I feel blessed that I was able to get to Kansas State, be in that program on a really, really good football team with great people, great teammates, great coaches. It set me up to be able to play pro football, which, again, that was not my dream. I mean, it was a dream in the sense that it's anybody's dream, but not in the, 'Hey, this is going to happen for me.'"
Upon retiring from football, Simoneau opened his own sports performance gym in the Kanas City area, where he trained athletes of all ages. More than a handful ended up at K-State, such as former Wildcat and current Cincinnati Bengal Jordan Willis. Current Wildcats like Kyle Ball, Wyatt Hubert and Blaise Gammon also trained with Simoneau at one point. All received some insight into what the program would be like.
"I tried to warn them that it was going to be a tough road, but if they were committed to the process they would walk out the best player and person they could be," Simoneau said. "Anybody I talk to about the program — and I only have one program to go off of — I think that it's one that will get the most out of whatever your ability is."
This year, Simoneau switched from the private sector to become a strength and conditioning instructor at Gardner Edgerton High School. He's also helping coach linebackers for the football team, off to a 4-0 start with a battle against Olathe Northwest this Friday.
Both have been opportunities, Simoneau said, to pass along the impact K-State had on him to a greater number of people.
"We're just teaching skills, but I think that even though they're physical skills, they can be things that can transfer into other parts of their life, as far as learning to how to focus, to work consistently and all those really positive things that we get from athletics," he said. "That's what I feel like I enjoy most about the job is to be able to pass along not only, 'Hey, this how you squat or do a hang clean, or these are the sprint mechanics you need to work on,' but to be able to adapt and get them to understand that if I'm consistent in this, I can get better and better and that's going to transfer to other things in my life, whether it's being a good brother or sister, son or daughter, or later in life being a good employee or a business owner, whatever it might be."
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