COLUMBUS, Ohio — In his fifth year with the football program, Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon has become the latest Buckeye to be the recipient of the Block O jersey.
Ohio State awards the jersey to a player each year who demonstrates toughness, accountability and the highest of character.
The tradition started in 2019 in honor of the late defensive end Bill Willis. Defensive end Jonathon Cooper was the first Ohio State player to be honored with the jersey in 2020. Thayer Munford, Kamryn Babb and Xavier Johnson were also recipients.
Simon is the fifth Ohio State football player and second non-Ohioan to wear the jersey.
His teammates say Simon got to this point by being himself and a leader on and off the field.
Simon totaled 147 career tackles and was fourth on the team with 53 stops last season. His place helped the Buckeyes finish with the nation’s No. 3 overall defense.
Before the 2023 season ended, Simon was the first player to publicly declare that he would be back for his final season of eligibility. Ten more players would later make the same announcement.
“I love this program so much,” said Simon. “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.”
The Buckeyes’ first game of the 2024 season is against Akron at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 31. Kickoff starts at 3:30 p.m.
The team's full schedule can be seen below:
- Aug. 31 – Akron (3:30 p.m., CBS)
- Sept. 7 – Western Michigan (7:30 p.m., BTN)
- Sept. 14 – Off
- Sept. 21 – Marshall
- Sept. 28 – at Michigan State
- Oct. 5 – Iowa
- Oct. 12 – at Oregon
- Oct. 19 – Off
- Oct. 26 – Nebraska
- Nov. 2 – at Penn State
- Nov. 9 – Purdue
- Nov. 16 – at Northwestern
- Nov. 23 – Indiana
- Nov. 30 – Michigan (Noon, FOX)