WE ARE HERE! IT’S GAME DAY. THE COUNTER HAS HIT 0! That means it’s time for the final edition of The Men Behind the Numbers. It’s crazy that we’ve made it. When I first started this countdown I thought for sure that I’d end up missing a few, and but outside of a technical difficulty that put one 3 hours behind schedule I didn’t! The NCAA approved the number 0 to be worn in games for the 2020 season. Immediately OSU fans deemed it the “Block O” and the program anointed it an honor for the recipient. Jonathan Cooper was the first recipient and as we know Brandon Inniss is the most recent. Only once have the Buckeyes won a natty since the number was wearable, and that year it was donned by Cody Simon.
Simon would come to OSU during the covid season, and would end up taking advantage of the “covid year.” He would spend 5 years at OSU, in what could be described as somewhat of a slow-burn.
In the shortened covid season, he would primarily see time on special teams. With increased playing time in 2021, he would register over 50 tackles, a sack, and an interception. Still not off the chart numbers, but you could see him gaining confidence and playing with energy and swagger. While his tackle numbers would dip in 2022, he was growing into a more complete linebacker. He was deflecting passes, forcing fumbles, and making plays behind the line of scrimmage.
The 2023 season would see his tackle numbers go above 50 again, including a massive stop in the Notre Dame game to prevent a first down. The Buckeyes would go on to win that game at the end of regulation.
The 2024 season was special, as we all know. For Cody Simon, it was the season where it all came together. He would record 112 tackles, 7 sacks, 13 tfl’s, multiple pass break ups, and force a fumble. He became a dangerous blitzer, a sure tackler, and was the heart and soul of the defense. He would also wear the green dot on defense, and that was the year he wore the Block O jersey. He was also named the Defensive MVP of the National Championship Game against Notre Dame, after recording 8 tackles.
Simon would go on to be a 4th round pick of the Arizona Cardinals, and wind up starting 9 games last season while playing in all 16. He registered nearly 80 tackles, and is expected to be a starter this season.
Cody Simon is a great example of “progress, not perfection.” He never put up gaudy numbers, until his last season. But, he was always improving. He was a leader, and an energy guy at the same time. These are all reasons that he was bestowed the Block O jersey for the 2024 season, and a perfect person to end our countdown!
IT’S GAME DAY, THE CLOCK WILL TRULY HIT 0 AT 12:30 TODAY. GO BUCKS, BEAT BALL STATE!
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The Buckeye Film Breakdown Podcast | Who Earns the Block O? Predicting Ohio State’s 2026 Captains
The Buckeye Film Breakdown Podcast | Recruiting Fallout & Media Day Takeaways
The Buckeye Film Breakdown Podcast | The Business of the Block O
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