Senior and two-time captain John Simon was named today as the Chuck Bednarik Award’s national player of the week. This is Simon’s third national honor of the week after being named Monday the Lott IMPACT Award and the College Football Performance Award national defensive player of the week.
Simon was dominant in No. 8 Ohio State’s 63-38 win over No. 21 Nebraska Saturday with seven tackles, including a school record-tying five tackles-for-losses, totaling 24 yards. Included in that total was two quarterback sacks and he also recorded a forced fumble.
Simon ranks second in the Big Ten Conference with 7.5 tackles-for-loss (totaling 33 yards). He is sixth in sacks with 3.0. He is also climbing all of Ohio State’s TFL and quarterbacks charts.
As you no doubt heard, Notre Dame radio analyst Allen Pinket got suspended for remarks about how having criminals on your college football team makes you better. He even used Ohio State as an example. Buckeyes DT John Simon, a future NFL pick, talked about malfeasance and punishment within the Buckeye program at media day
Has Urban Meyer’s reaction to off the field issues been very swift and very clear? What type of message has he sent?
“Coach releases all that gray area, it’s only black and white. He’ll tell you like it is. So that’s how we knew he was going to be when he came in. We just have to make sure that we’re trying our best to stay out of trouble and I realize that things happen and we know that we have to be there for the guys who get in trouble a little bit. Things do happen.”
Like the fact that there’s no gray area?
“Yeah, absolutely. That’s great for football players . When you know your goal or know exactly what to do and why you have to do it, it makes things a lot easier.”
Advice for team that has guys suspended?
“It’s up to the seniors to show that they’re there for them and the team unity hasn’t broken. As a group of seniors for us when some of our guys got in trouble, you know just rally around them, and you know hey we’re here for you or if you need anything. And you know that’s all you can do really.
The guys definitely when something happens or a mistake is made, they definitely need all the support they can get. When it comes from their team mates who they’ve been in battle with you know that means a lot.”
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Chicago Tribune.com, Fox Sports, Walter Football and Yardbarker
A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too
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