On 3rd-and-4 during the Broncos’ opening drive, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles called for a blitz with the star, who was back from an injury that had kept him out of the Akron game. Simon initially faked a move to the B-gap before quickly shifting to the A-gap, causing Western Michigan’s right guard, John Hofer, to fall and enabling Simon to sack quarterback Hayden Wolff.
“Coach Knowles makes great calls,” Simon commented. “I was fortunate enough to make the play. If I hadn’t, someone else would have. I’m just glad I did.”
While Ohio State didn’t necessarily need Simon’s dominant performance to defeat Western Michigan, having their top captain and “Block O” jersey recipient back provided a significant morale boost as the team heads into their first bye week.
“Cody’s the leader of the defense, the quarterback for the defense,” Knowles said. “He’s a conscientious young man who bleeds Ohio State. He brings a general confidence to everyone when he’s out there, beyond just his statistics.”
Simon downplayed his injury, describing it as “just lower body,” noting that minor injuries are typical during the rigorous preseason training. “Camp gets tough,” he said.
True to form, the fifth-year senior from New Jersey was simply excited to return to the field and support his teammates.
“It felt amazing to be out there with all the guys,” Simon said. “It was a great feeling.”
Though he was sidelined for the Akron game, Simon was eager to play, but the medical staff took precautions for more crucial games ahead.
“Last week, I felt a little off, but when I ran down the tunnel, I felt ready,” Simon recalled. “The trainers told me to slow down a bit, but this week, I was definitely good to go.”
In Simon’s absence, Sonny Styles, who had been training as a Will linebacker, filled the Mike linebacker role and wore the green dot for in-helmet communication, with Arvell Reese also contributing later. Both made a significant impact, combining for 17 tackles and a tackle for loss in the first two games.
“They did amazing,” Simon praised. “I even gave them props because the radio can be tough to hear. They’re doing really well.”
Styles and Reese were also pleased to have Simon back on the field.
“Cody’s a leader on our defense,” Styles said. “He’s earned the ‘Block O’ for a reason. It’s great to have him back; he’s a great player with a lot of experience.”
Simon ended the game with three tackles, including his sack, and credited his teammates for their support.
The Buckeyes achieved a shutout and limited Western Michigan to under 100 yards of offense, their first such feats since 2019 and 2017, respectively.
“We’ve been aiming for this for four years, and finally achieving it is exciting,” Simon said. “Now we want to do it again.”
However, Simon isn’t resting on his laurels. The team is focusing on creating turnovers, an area where they didn’t perform well against Western Michigan after securing three takeaways against Akron.
“We want to dominate,” Simon said. “Our goal isn’t just to win game two. We aim to win everything. Setting that standard is crucial.”
The Buckeyes will have their next opportunity to secure a shutout against Marshall on September 21.
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