PCA’s Jung signs to play football at Simpson University

If you’ve never heard of Simpson University and its football team, you’re not alone. Their newest football recruit hadn’t either, even though his family has deep ties to the school.

“I didn’t know what they were either,” Porter’s Chapel Academy senior Jase Jung said with a laugh. “My dad always had his Simpson hoodie and I was like, ‘What is that? What are you wearing?”

For the record, Simpson University is an NAIA school with about 1,000 full-time students located in Redding, California, in the far northern part of the state. Its football program was started in 2022, played its first full season in 2024, and had an 0-9 record that included a 97-0 loss to Montana Tech.

And none of that matters to Jung, who is just happy for the chance to play college football.

“It’s amazing. I grew up wanting to do it. Ever since I was 5 I knew exactly what I wanted to do was play college football. I told my parents and everybody,” Jung said. “It feels good to finally accomplish something that I dreamed of as a kid.”

Although he didn’t know much about Simpson before the recruiting process began, the university is in Jung’s blood. Both of his parents — father Michael and mother Cari — as well as several other family members attended school there.

When they started fishing around for opportunities for Jase to play college football, Simpson was one of the places they sent his information and game film to and it was an instant match all around. Jung signed in March but did not have a formal signing day ceremony until Thursday.

“I knew they existed but I didn’t know they had a football team. They just got a football team. It’s kind of a coincidence that my dad went there and his dad went there. I guess it’s a little family tree,” Jung said. “My dad was super excited for me to go, and I’m very excited to go. I can’t wait.”

Jung was a five-year starter for Porter’s Chapel’s football team and had a record-setting career as a running back and defensive back.

On offense, he finished with 3,712 yards and 48 touchdowns in 2024, and 6,422 yards and 87 touchdowns for his career — all of which were Warren County records — and was The Vicksburg Post’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2024. He had five 300-yard rushing games in his senior season. In the first 100 years of football in Warren County, there had been nine total and no one had more than one.

Jung was just as good on the defensive side of the ball. He finished his high school career with 19 interceptions. He made 70 tackles and led Warren County with six interceptions in 2024.

His future, it appears, is on defense. He said Simpson’s coaches have indicated they plan to play him at strong safety. Jung didn’t care, as long as he gets a chance to play somewhere.

“I’m cool with it. I get to play football so I’m fine with it,” he said. “I think it’s like 1.5 percent of people go to college to play sports and I am one of those. That’s pretty cool.”

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