Cody Simon To Wear Block O For Buckeyes In 2024

Ohio State fifth-year senior Cody Simon will wear the Block O jersey for the Buckeyes this season.

Simon is the fifth recipient of the jersey, which is a tradition started by head coach Ryan Day in 2020 and is meant to reward the player who most exemplifies the standards of former Buckeye great Bill Willis. Those standards include toughness, accountability, and high character.

Simon will be the Buckeyes’ starting middle linebacker this season, which essentially makes him the quarterback of the defense. He has played in 44 games with 15 career starts, including 10 in 2021. He finished fourth on the team with 57 tackles last year. He started five games for the Buckeyes in 2023.

Simon has fought through injuries in his time as a Buckeye, including a serious shoulder injury in 2021. He then spent much of the past two seasons backing up starter Tommy Eichenberg. Despite being replaced as a starter early in his career, Simon stuck it out at Ohio State and is now one of the most important leaders on the team overall.

Simon joins former OSU defensive end Jonathon Cooper, former OSU offensive lineman Thayer Munford, and former OSU receivers Kamryn Babb and Xavier Johnson in earning the honor of the Block O jersey.

Bill Willis, whose No. 99 jersey is retired by Ohio State, broke the NFL’s color barrier as a member of the Cleveland Browns and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well as the College Football Hall of Fame. Willis played for the Buckeyes from 1942-1944 and was an All-American defensive end and national champion.

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