Brette Simmons

Brette Simmons is a former longtime assistant coach at N.C. State under Dick Sheridan and Mike O'Cain.

Simmons, who coached with Robbie Caldwell and remains close with the Tigers' offensive line coach, tells some priceless stories about what it was like to work with Caldwell.

Simmons recounts how close Sheridan was to taking the Georgia job after Vince Dooley hung up his whistle (Sheridan, in fact, had accepted the job but pulled out when the news leaked).

He also shares insight into N.C. State's casual attitude toward facilities improvements during the tenures of Sheridan and O'Cain, followed by a major emphasis once Chuck Amato took over following O'Cain's firing.

Simmons has vivid memories of what it was like to battle Clemson on the recruiting trail when Danny Ford and his staff made North Carolina a large part of their talent procurement.

He also recalls the surreal day in 1987 when an N.C. State team that would finish 4-7 went to Clemson and was up 30-0 at halftime and barely survived a rare passing assault by Rodney Williams in a 30-28 Wolfpack victory. Sheridan's teams won three straight over Clemson in 1986, 1987 and 1988.

Simmons has written a book on legendary South Carolina high school coach Doug Bennett, who coached Swansea High from 1954 to 1989 and had the courage to stand up and battle massive resistance to public-school integration in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Bennett is a recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, the state's highest civilian honor. He is one of six brothers who served WWII, and remarkably all six survived.

Simmons' book about Bennett's remarkable life is titled "Man in the Gap."