Ohio State Buckeyes College Football Pregame Quote, 01/08/2025

Q. Going into these games, how is your mindset knowing that this could be the last game for these brothers?

LB CODY SIMON: I think that’s the biggest thing about our team right now. We’re just fighting to get another opportunity to play with each other.

It could be our last one, but if we do everything we need to do, we get another one. That’s our biggest motivator right now. We just want to stay together. We don’t want to end this run right now. That’s the biggest thing.

Q. What makes the senior class so special that you want to keep this unit together?

LB CODY SIMON: This might be the biggest example of selflessness I have ever been a part of. So many guys came back here and had the opportunity to go first round, second round in the NFL draft. They all came back to play another year together.

I commend all those guys who made a decision and all the guys who came in who were outside of our program because it takes a lot to get this all to work together. I am just thankful for them.

Q. Do you feel like a leader? Do you feel like you have raised the level of your play?

LB CODY SIMON: My biggest goal is worrying about execution. I think I’ve been playing well, but still yet to play my best game. I think, as a team, we’re still yet to play our best game, too. We need to make sure we are focused on doing our job and executing at the highest level.

Q. (Question about coaches.)

LB CODY SIMON: Our coaches put great schemes up and they allow us to find weaknesses in the O line and really exploit them. They dial up a lot of great stuff. I trust what the coaches do and try to do as best as I can.

Q. Cody, what have you made of Arvell Reese’s season, and what area has he improved on the most, in your opinion?

LB CODY SIMON: I think his confidence and play speed has gotten a lot better. It’s tough. Our defense is a little bit complex. For him to come in as a young player and be able to adapt, our coaches are really trusting now. For him to play the time he’s doing, he’s done well.

Q. How much has he (Arvell Reese) grown in your eyes since the first time you saw him?

LB CODY SIMON: A lot. I don’t think they fully trusted him with the full playbook last year. He’s coming into his own now, and he’s doing really well. He adapts really well.

Q. You mentioned finishing practice outside today. Did you guys get in any actual practice? You just went out at the end?

LB CODY SIMON: Yeah, we did our normal Thursday routine stuff. Even opening the doors, you are like, snow is out there. It’s coming down in Columbus.

Q. You have been playing a lot more aggressively. You have had a lot of success. Is that more fun? Do you like being in a defense that’s playing more aggressively than you have in the past?

LB CODY SIMON: Yeah, it definitely allows for bigger plays and more splash plays, I guess you call it. I trust what Coach [Jim] Knowles thinks. I don’t want to be a robot, but I think he puts together great game plan no matter what the week is. Whatever he sees, I will try to see exactly what he sees and do it the best I can.

I have full trust in him and all of our coaches. Whatever they see, I will try to do with the best of my ability.

Q. What have you seen that’s different from the defensive line? What’s stood out to you most about Texas?

LB CODY SIMON: I think our mentality these last couple weeks has been really just going after it, you know? I don’t want to say it wasn’t before that. But when it was time to go and get it, I think our guys have really been standing up for the challenge. They have been playing super well. It’s fun to play behind those guys. I just hope I love that they’re doing that, and we just got to keep doing our job.

Q. The back half of the year, you guys started blitzing a lot. And then you really didn’t blitz at all in the playoffs. Does having the experience of blitzing and then also having the success keep you well prepared for whatever Jim [Knowles] has planned?

LB CODY SIMON: I think it’s perfect. You want to show a lot of different things in the year because you can go back to different things.

For us, we again, I listen to what Coach Knowles wants us to do. I, obviously, have my own input. I think he’s done a great job preparing for them.

Whatever our game plan asks for, we’ll be able to do it. Whether it’s blitzing or not blitzing, we are ready to do whatever.