During April’s spring game, John Simon paced up and down the sideline like a caged tiger waiting to be set free in the wild.
New Ohio State coach Urban Meyer wouldn’t let Simon come out to play. The senior defensive tackle was simply too overpowering for the offensive line to handle.
It was that way much of the spring. The offense couldn’t get much accomplished in practice because Simon was always manhandling blockers and disrupting plays. He simply couldn’t be stopped.
And so he had to wait for his turn in the fall. By then, Simon will be more than ready to frustrate opposing offenses.
Meyer hasn’t stopped gushing about Simon, calling him a warrior in the weight room, a respected team leader and a student of the game. Two years ago, Simon was ranked No. 8 on a list compiled by ESPN.com of college football’s workout freaks.
Defensive coordinator Luke Fickell and Meyer rave about Simon’s high-revving motor — he never takes a play off or loses his intensity. His resiliency is reflected in his streak of 26 consecutive starts.
“The guy that’s just the warhorse — he is Ohio State football — that’s John Simon,” Meyer said. “I can’t help but say I love the guy. He’s Tebowish as far as his commitment. … His passion for Ohio State University is unmatched.”
That’s high praise coming from Meyer, who coached quarterback Tim Tebow at Florida and puts Simon in a rare breed of players he has worked with through the years.
Meyer already has guaranteed that Simon will be a captain this season, regardless of the players’ vote.
“It’s a great honor for everything he says about me,” Simon said. “But we’ve got a lot of guys on this team who deserve that honor as well.”
Simon distinguished himself last year with a team-leading seven sacks (fifth-highest total in the Big Ten) and 16 tackles for loss. He was named first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and third-team All-American by the Associated Press.
Some pro scouts call Simon a tweener. At 6-2, 260, he is considered undersized to play defensive tackle and lacks the height of a prototypical defensive end. That won’t stop him from being a terror his senior season, coaches said.
Defensive line coach Mike Vrabel, a three-time Super Bowl champion, has worked with Simon on technique and using his hands.
Vrabel’s comments about Simon echo those from around the program.
“I love being around him,” Vrabel said.