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LGHL Cody Simon embracing leadership role at linebacker for Ohio State
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Cody Simon embracing leadership role at linebacker for Ohio State
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Ahead of final season in Columbus, Simon is getting rave reviews from his linebackers coach
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Akron.
Over the last couple decades, Ohio State has built a nice little pipeline finding recruits from the state of New Jersey. It started with Malcolm Jenkins in the class of 2005 and has picked up steam since then. Notable recruits from the Garden State have been Eli Apple, Jordan Fuller, and Noah Brown. Currently on the roster is Cody Simon, who came to Columbus via St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City. Simon was the third-ranked player in the state of New Jersey in the class of 2020, making him the fourth top-five prospect from the state to come to Ohio State from 2018 to 2020. The others during that span were Tyler Friday, Ronnie Hickman, and Luke Wypler.
It didn’t take Simon long to get on the field once he arrived on campus, as he played six games as a true freshman in 2020, mainly contributing on special teams and adding to depth at linebacker. While the times when Simon was on the field might have not been in the most important circumstances, the work he put in allowed him to gain the trust of the coaching staff so they could put more on his plate in the following years.
As a sophomore, Simon started to see his workload increase in 2021, as he registered 54 tackles in 10 starts for the Buckeyes. In a win early in the season over Akron, Simon recorded the first, and so far only, interception in his career. Unfortunately for Simon, he was unable to play in the 2022 Rose Bowl against Utah after being sidelined due to an injury that would also keep him off the field for spring practices a few months later.
After sitting out spring practices, Simon was ready to go when Ohio State kicked off their 2022 season against Notre Dame. Unfortunately for Simon, it felt like missing out on those practices to become more familiar with new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ defense contributed to a subpar junior season for the linebacker. Simon finished seventh on the team with 32 tackles, but on the positive side, Simon was getting in the backfield more, registering two sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss.
The 2023 season saw Simon regain the form we saw from him as a sophomore, finishing the season with a career-high 57 tackles. While Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers were the starters at linebacker for Ohio State, Simon was a big part of the Buckeye defense, especially when Eichenberg was injured late in the season. While the offense was dreadful in the Cotton Bowl against Missouri, Simon played the best game of his college career, finishing with a career-high 12 tackles against the tackles. The performance set the table for Simon returning for one more season in Columbus, where he would undoubtedly be one of the starters at linebacker entering the season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25567165/1724815027.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 14 Ohio State at Purdue")
Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Along with being a starter in 2024, new linebackers coach James Laurinaitis said Simon is the “unquestioned leader” of the Ohio State linebacker room. With Sonny Styles moving from safety to linebacker, C.J. Hicks trying to live up to the hype that surrounded him coming out of high school, and a number of younger linebackers trying to make a name for themselves, Simon is going to be looked at as the steadying force of the group because of the experience he brings to the table.
While some players shy away from being leaders, Simon is embracing the role, saying he has been preparing to be in a position like this his whole life. Even though Simon will have a lot of help at the other levels of the defense with the ridiculous amount of talent Ohio State has returning on that side of the football, we have seen just how dangerous the Buckeye defense can be when they get competent play from their linebackers. Simon is definitely smart enough to take on the role of the quarterback of the linebackers, and he has shown he has the physical tools to make the plays necessary. If there is anyone on the defense who deserves a Big Ten title and a deep run in the College Football Playoff, it is Cody Simon.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Ahead of final season in Columbus, Simon is getting rave reviews from his linebackers coach
Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our ”Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Akron.
Over the last couple decades, Ohio State has built a nice little pipeline finding recruits from the state of New Jersey. It started with Malcolm Jenkins in the class of 2005 and has picked up steam since then. Notable recruits from the Garden State have been Eli Apple, Jordan Fuller, and Noah Brown. Currently on the roster is Cody Simon, who came to Columbus via St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City. Simon was the third-ranked player in the state of New Jersey in the class of 2020, making him the fourth top-five prospect from the state to come to Ohio State from 2018 to 2020. The others during that span were Tyler Friday, Ronnie Hickman, and Luke Wypler.
It didn’t take Simon long to get on the field once he arrived on campus, as he played six games as a true freshman in 2020, mainly contributing on special teams and adding to depth at linebacker. While the times when Simon was on the field might have not been in the most important circumstances, the work he put in allowed him to gain the trust of the coaching staff so they could put more on his plate in the following years.
As a sophomore, Simon started to see his workload increase in 2021, as he registered 54 tackles in 10 starts for the Buckeyes. In a win early in the season over Akron, Simon recorded the first, and so far only, interception in his career. Unfortunately for Simon, he was unable to play in the 2022 Rose Bowl against Utah after being sidelined due to an injury that would also keep him off the field for spring practices a few months later.
After sitting out spring practices, Simon was ready to go when Ohio State kicked off their 2022 season against Notre Dame. Unfortunately for Simon, it felt like missing out on those practices to become more familiar with new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ defense contributed to a subpar junior season for the linebacker. Simon finished seventh on the team with 32 tackles, but on the positive side, Simon was getting in the backfield more, registering two sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss.
The 2023 season saw Simon regain the form we saw from him as a sophomore, finishing the season with a career-high 57 tackles. While Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers were the starters at linebacker for Ohio State, Simon was a big part of the Buckeye defense, especially when Eichenberg was injured late in the season. While the offense was dreadful in the Cotton Bowl against Missouri, Simon played the best game of his college career, finishing with a career-high 12 tackles against the tackles. The performance set the table for Simon returning for one more season in Columbus, where he would undoubtedly be one of the starters at linebacker entering the season.
Along with being a starter in 2024, new linebackers coach James Laurinaitis said Simon is the “unquestioned leader” of the Ohio State linebacker room. With Sonny Styles moving from safety to linebacker, C.J. Hicks trying to live up to the hype that surrounded him coming out of high school, and a number of younger linebackers trying to make a name for themselves, Simon is going to be looked at as the steadying force of the group because of the experience he brings to the table.
While some players shy away from being leaders, Simon is embracing the role, saying he has been preparing to be in a position like this his whole life. Even though Simon will have a lot of help at the other levels of the defense with the ridiculous amount of talent Ohio State has returning on that side of the football, we have seen just how dangerous the Buckeye defense can be when they get competent play from their linebackers. Simon is definitely smart enough to take on the role of the quarterback of the linebackers, and he has shown he has the physical tools to make the plays necessary. If there is anyone on the defense who deserves a Big Ten title and a deep run in the College Football Playoff, it is Cody Simon.
Continue reading...
