Dan Mullen tries to distance himself from controversial Jeffery Simmons decision

Peppered with questions about allowing a five-star player to enroll after striking a woman, Dan Mullen did his best to maintain some order Tuesday

HOOVER, Ala -- Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen tried Tuesday to distance himself from the controversial decision to enroll five-star defensive end Jeffery Simmons and suspend him one game for repeatedly hitting a woman on the ground. But when pressed about what responsibility he has if a recruited player with a violent past harms a student on campus, Mullen acknowledged responsibility.

"We're all responsible if that happens, all of us. To be honest with you, I'm responsible for all of the actions for every one of my players," he said.

Last month, Mississippi State announced Simmons had enrolled at the school and would be suspended for the first game against South Alabama.

"I wasn't involved as much," Mullen said at SEC Media Days. "It was a university decision, but I was just thrilled we're having Jeffery as part of our family coming in."

Video went viral in the spring showing Simmons punching a woman several times after breaking up an altercation involving a family member. Simmons was arrested for simple assault and disturbing the peace. His case has yet to be settled, according to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.

At the SEC Spring Meetings last month, Mississippi State athletic director Scott Stricklin said Mullen wasn't heavily involved in the decision and that Stricklin spoke with the president's office, the dean of students and Title IX coordinator.

"Athletics had nothing to do with the enrollment process," only in whether Simmons would participate with the football team, Stricklin said.

Mississippi State president Mark Keenum later placed the decision squarely on the shoulders of Stricklin and repeatedly said he trusted his athletic director.

"I have a surface understanding [of Simmons' past], and I don't think Jeffery will have any issues," Stricklin said in June. "But I want someone who's a professional and trained in this area to tell me that also."

Stricklin acknowledged the thought crossed his mind that if Mississippi State didn't enroll Simmons, another school would have given his talent.

Mullen said Mississippi State did a "very, very thorough investigation into everything that happened within the situation there and came up with the conclusion that, you know, we felt that Jeffery deserved the opportunity to be part of our family. And now we move forward in helping educate and develop a young man to become successful in his life."

Mississippi State said Simmons is undergoing professional counseling. Mississippi State's media guide lists Simmons with jersey No. 36, a significant number within the program. Simmons would be the first player to wear that number full-time since Nick Bell, who died in 2010 from cancer. Mullen said it's not finalized that Simmons will wear No. 36 and discussions will continue about the possibility.

"I think the best way we can honor numbers is by having people wear them, but you understand and respect what it takes to wear that number and what you're representing wearing that number," Mullen said. "That's something we've discussed."

Mississippi State defensive lineman A.J. Jefferson said so far Simmons has been "a great teammate." Players haven't discussed the incident with Simmons, though they're open to speak with him if he wants, Jefferson said.