He became Michigan's all-time career tackle leader in 1979 and was a consensus first-team selection for the 1979 College Football All-America Team.
[3] Simpkins saw playing time as a freshman and won the John F. Maulbetsch Award in the spring of 1977, given each year by the University of Michigan after spring practice to a freshman football candidate on the basis of desire, character, capacity for leadership and future success both on and off the football field.
[4] As a sophomore, Simpkins was the leading tackler for the 1977 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled 10-2 record, won the Big Ten Conference championship, and allowed only 97 points (8.8 points per game) in 11 regular season games.
[7] At the end of the 1978 season, Simpkins was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten Conference linebacker.
[9] During his Michigan career, Simpkins also had 11 pass breakups, seven fumble recoveries and an interception.
[10] Simpkins was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round (167th overall pick) of the 1980 NFL draft.
During a career that spanned eighteen seasons, Ron was at the helm for the Cowboys of Western International High School; he retired in 2007.