Ohio State Buckeyes LB Cody Simon Still Energized From Notre Dame Win
Ohio State's walk-off win over Notre Dame this past Saturday was one of the most highly viewed sporting events in recent memory, and the Buckeyes are still feeling the energy from that night. Several members of the team met with the media on Wednesday to talk about that victory, their bye week, and the rest of the upcoming season.
One of those Buckeyes was linebacker Cody Simon, who helped the scarlet and grey defense make some big plays, including a crucial fourth down stop. Simon, a senior who's seen more than his fair share of game days, called the clash in South Bend one of the best he's experienced.
“One of the best atmospheres I’ve ever been a part of," Simon said. "Their crowd and their stadium were off the charts.”
That energy carried over onto the field for the Buckeyes, who walked away with a 17-14 win, and it followed them to the locker room celebration.
"(It was) probably the most electric our locker room's ever been after a game," recalled Simon. That kind of energy can propel a team to a different level in a season, especially after an immense win like the one OSU pulled off against the Fighting Irish.
While Simon may not have filled up the stat sheet in Week 4, recording just two tackles, he played his role to perfection when called upon. Ohio State has a defense that many consider to be one of the best in the country, and that unit's biggest strength may be its depth.
In fact, the Buckeyes are so loaded at linebacker that they flipped ex-LB Chip Trayanum from that position to running back. That move paid off in a game-winning touchdown last weekend as time expired, something Simon says is a tribute to Trayanum's selflessness.
Head coach Ryan Day seems as fired up as he's ever been about his squad, and things may be coming together for Ohio State to make a serious run. Will all this momentum pay off come January? It's too soon to tell, but OSU has handled every test they've come across so far.
If they continue to win the games they're supposed to, Simon and the rest of the Buckeyes should have a very real chance at playoff contention. That's something that the New Jersey native is confident in.
When asked who he thought was the best team in the country, he simply replied, "If I didn’t say it was us, I wouldn’t have the trust in my guys.”
