After two schools in two years at the FBS level, Phillip Sims is hoping that a drop down the competition ladder will rejuvenate what was once a promising college football career.
On Twitter Sunday night, the quarterback announced that he will attend Winston-Salem State and play football for the Rams. The North Carolina school plays football at the Division II level.
As Sims is moving on to a non-FBS program, he will be eligible to play immediately in 2013. He will have two years to use his two remaining years of eligibility.
“I am thankful for this opportunity that I’ve been given,” the player tweeted.
Sims signed with Alabama as a much-hyped four-star member of the Tide’s 2010 recruiting class, rated as the No. 2 pro-style quarterback by Rivals.com. After losing out to AJ McCarron in the battle for the starting quarterback job in 2011, Sims announced in late April of 2012 that he would be transferring from the Tuscaloosa school. Five days later, he announced he would be heading back to his home state of Virginia and transfer into the Cavaliers football program.
In eight games as a redshirt freshman in 2011 at Alabama, Sims completed 64 percent of his passes for 163 yards. After receiving a waiver from the NCAA for immediate eligibility, Sims played in all 12 games for Virginia in 2012, throwing for 1,426 yards and nine touchdowns.
He was buried on UVa’s depth chart this past spring, however, and opted to transfer out.