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LB John Simon - (2012 B1G DPOY, Super Bowl Champ)

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A quick learner: Freshman John Simon sees stock rising: OSU Insider
By Doug Lesmerises
September 23, 2009

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Marvin Fong/The Plain Dealer
Freshman defensive lineman John Simon puts some heat on Toledo QB Aaron Opelt in the Buckeyes' shutout victory last weekend. Simon and wide receiver Duron Carter are two first-year players earning rave reviews for OSU coaches -- and more playing time.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- After three nonconference games, with Big Ten play starting against Illinois on Saturday, the true freshmen that can help Ohio State this season have shown themselves.

Zach Boren and Adam Homan will share the fullback job. Jordan Hall may work in more at tailback, but Jim Tressel seemed to downplay questions about an expanded Hall role this week.

But it's defensive tackle John Simon, earning a regular spot in the defensive line rotation, and receiver Duron Carter, the No. 3 wideout, who are the Buckeyes fresh out of high school most ready to handle a Big Ten load.

They aren't there on talent.

"It's confidence," Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell said Wednesday on what's most important for a freshman to show in order to play. "They show the confidence in practice. Is a guy going to class, doing things right, that you just have enough confidence in them that they can go out there. All these guys can play. The next step is the confidence factor, the trust factor."

That is earned when some of the freshmen may not even realize they're being judged. Those practice repetitions as a fourth-stringer carry a lot of weight, and that's where Simon made his mark.

"When it was his turn it didn't matter if he was with the threes or fours or twos," Fickell said. "He showed up. We all know other kids can do it, but sometimes they aren't mature enough to get their blood flowing when they don't see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Junior linebacker Ross Homan told a story about Simon that proves he has seen the light. In Cleveland on Friday night before last weekend's game at Browns Stadium, Simon asked Homan and senior linebacker Austin Spitler where the weight room in the team hotel was, so he could get in a lift the night before a noon game.

"John is a huge meatball. He will live and die in the weight room," Homan said.

In this case, the veterans got the freshman to relax, skip the lift and rest up. But not relaxing any other time is what has Simon, and Carter, on the field.
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A quick learner: Freshman John Simon sees stock rising: OSU Insider | Ohio State Buckeyes - cleveland.com - - cleveland.com
 
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OSU football: Freshmen display unusual maturity
Carter, Simon get to play after proving they can handle the responsibilities
Thursday, October 1, 2009
By Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

There was something encouraging about John Simon from the first time he showed up at Ohio State. Duron Carter showed it, too. Maturity, toughness -- each had that secret something it takes to earn playing time as a true freshman.
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It's the same for Simon, who has gained increasing playing time at defensive tackle, arguably the most physical position on the field.

"He's just a great athlete, a good player, and you can see that in the way he performs and the way he practices," senior defensive end Doug Worthington said. "It's not something he had to prove. He just showed it off the jump.

"He made sure that he stayed in and watched film, he's a workhorse in the weight room. It was easy to put him out there, because he learned the plays very quick."

Still, Simon, a Youngstown Mooney graduate, had to prove himself to the defensive coaches.

Co-coordinator Luke Fickell said a freshman must first show he knows what he is doing and that he can stand up to the physical rigors of the faster, more physical college game. Then there is the confidence and trust the coaches have to acquire in the player.

"That comes from guys going to class, guys doing things right (off the field), so that you just have the confidence in their maturity," Fickell said. "You know they can play. All of the guys here can play; it's why we recruited them."

Simon met those standards, and he has proved he can hold his own in the trenches. Fickell, a former defensive tackle for the Buckeyes, saw it right away.

"That intensity which he obviously brings -- it didn't matter if he was with the threes (third team), the fours or the twos, he showed up," Fickell said. "We know all the other kids can do it, but sometimes they aren't mature enough to get their blood flowing when they are with the threes or the fours and they don't see the light at the end of the tunnel."
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BuckeyeXtra - OSU football: Freshmen display unusual maturity
 
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I see John around campus from time to time; it's surreal, but he somehow looks smaller in pads. His measurables don't scream it, but he's a very large individual. Guy is built like a brick shithouse, and he's showing the technique to use those physical tools to get the job done. On the fumble play, he drove his man back, saw the scramble coming up the middle, and spun into the lane to stuff it - a very heady play. He could very well be a multi-year AA if he keeps improving at this rate.
 
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One thing I really like about Simon is how well he is using his hands this early in his career. It sounds simple, but learning to fight and gain control with your hands is a hard skill to learn and to do consistently. Your feet, leverage and everything else have to be good to have good hands and he is showing that.

Very high ceiling for this young man.
 
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TheIronColonel;1575624; said:
I see John around campus from time to time; it's surreal, but he somehow looks smaller in pads. His measurables don't scream it, but he's a very large individual. Guy is built like a brick shithouse, and he's showing the technique to use those physical tools to get the job done. On the fumble play, he drove his man back, saw the scramble coming up the middle, and spun into the lane to stuff it - a very heady play. He could very well be a multi-year AA if he keeps improving at this rate.
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Pun intended??:)
 
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TheIronColonel;1575624; said:
I see John around campus from time to time; it's surreal, but he somehow looks smaller in pads. His measurables don't scream it, but he's a very large individual.
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During the game there was an instance that he came out and sat down on the bench... taking his helmet off...

I couldn't believe how big this kid is... I rewound the clip and pointed out to my wife that he's a "true frosh." He's just un-flipp'n-real.
 
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leroyjenkins;1576771; said:
LOL I did the same thing.
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Good luck explaining to sparcboxbuck why you are watching the game with his wife.:biggrin:

I was at the game, and if Simon hadn't caused the fumble, there was a Gopher with a step or two on our safety, and it probably would have been a TD. I saw the QB wind up, looked down field, saw a WR wide open, and thought TD in my head. Then I looked for the ball and couldn't find it in the air. Imagine my surprise as all the players were pointing like we had the ball. Great play by Simon.
 
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NastyNatiBuck;1577052; said:
Good luck explaining to sparcboxbuck why you are watching the game with his wife.:biggrin:

I was at the game, and if Simon hadn't caused the fumble, there was a Gopher with a step or two on our safety, and it probably would have been a TD. I saw the QB wind up, looked down field, saw a WR wide open, and thought TD in my head. Then I looked for the ball and couldn't find it in the air. Imagine my surprise as all the players were pointing like we had the ball. Great play by Simon.
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Don't know about a sandwich, but she was getting Dos Equis and Duchesse de Bourgogne off the taps in the basement all afternoon... and she made some Nathan's cony sauce for hot dogs... and got the breaded cheese sticks out of the freezer...

:paranoid: Damn... I've got one hell of a great wife.
 
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