Cody Simon will wear Ohio State’s “Block O” jersey in 2024.
The fifth-year senior linebacker received the ceremonial No. 0 jersey on Saturday, becoming the fifth Buckeye to earn the honor since the NCAA began allowing players to wear No. 0 in 2020.
Exemplifying what it means to be a Buckeye. The 2024 Block O recipient, @Cody_Simon30 pic.twitter.com/HDAKkOvHJX
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 17, 2024
Simon joins Jonathon Cooper, Thayer Munford, Kamryn Babb and Xavier Johnson as Buckeyes to receive the “Block O” jersey.
“I love this program so much,” Simon said in a statement released by Ohio State on Saturday. “I had goals when I got here and even though everything always hasn’t gone the way I’ve envisioned, I couldn’t have asked for better teammates.”
A fifth-year Buckeye from New Jersey, Simon’s selection as this year’s Block O wearer confirms his standing as one of Ohio State’s top leaders entering the 2024 season. He was also named a team captain on Saturday along with running back TreVeyon Henderson, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and defensive end Jack Sawyer.
Selected by their peers. 2024 Team Captain: @Cody_Simon30 pic.twitter.com/ndrumXbsWh
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 17, 2024
Simon is in line to fill the shoes of Tommy Eichenberg as the leader of the defense both on and off the field from the Mike linebacker spot.
“He's the unquestioned leader of the group. He's the leader of the defense,” Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis said last week when asked if Simon was the Buckeyes’ top linebacker.
Simon understands the responsibility that comes with being seen as the leader of not just his unit but the entire team.
“For me, (being a leader) just means I gotta be at my best every day,” Simon said last week. “The guys in the room have to look to someone to see an example. And I need to be able to lead them vocally, physically and emotionally. So that's what I try to be every day. And it's a tough role, but I love playing football. I love doing it. I love this place. So it's a great job to have.”
Simon becomes just the second Buckeye who didn’t grow up in Ohio to receive the “Block O” jersey, joining Babb, a native of St. Louis, Missouri.
The “Block O” jersey was created in memory of Bill Willis, a College and Pro Football Hall of Famer whose No. 99 is retired in the Horseshoe. He was one of the first two players to break professional football’s color barrier for the Cleveland Browns in 1946, alongside fellow Hall of Famer Marion Motley. The jersey, awarded annually, is given to a team leader that embodies Willis’ “toughness, accountability and the highest of character.”
