“I stayed because it’s a team sport,” Simon said. “We (the seniors) would never consider leaving those guys. When I committed to being a Buckeye, I was a Buckeye through and through. I wanted to be here for four years.”He might not have the most tackles on the team, but Simon clearly has the biggest impact. On the field, he is constantly chasing quarterbacks and running backs and generally making an impact in some way on nearly every play. In the locker room, Simon commands respect from his peers, even giving a tearful speech after he played with one arm in a heart-stopping game against California in September. And whether it’s during the season or not, Simon’s mentality and dedication to the team draws admirers numbering in the triple digits – the amount of players on the roster.
“I’m so proud of him,” linebacker Ryan Shazier said.
Simon is someone who wakes up well before sunrise and traverses to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. But it got to the point that Meyer and strength coach Mickey Marotti instituted the “Simon Rule.”
They loved Simon’s work ethic, but they also wanted to use it to the team’s advantage. So Simon was no longer permitted to enter the monstrous football facility alone – he had to bring along a teammate or two, preferably underclassmen.
Now the final week, final practice, final game in Ohio Stadium, final game as a Buckeye and final chapter of Simon’s stellar four-year stay at Ohio State all collide at a crossroads on Saturday afternoon.
When he sits down and recalls his career years down the road, you’ll likely hear an awful lot about coaches and teammates from John Simon.
http://www.elevenwarriors.com/2012/11/16436/the-senior
