Ohio State Buckeyes Star Receives Major 'Block O' Honor for 2024 Season

An Ohio State Buckeyes star has officially been given the "Block O" honor for the 2024 season.

Oct 28, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes helmets sit on the field during warmups prior to the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. / Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Ohio State Buckeyes have officially made a decision on who will receive the "Block O" honor for the 2024 season.

Cody Simon, the team's star linebacker, will switch his jersey number from No. 30 to No. 0.

For those who don't know what the "Block O" refers to, it honors the leagcy of Bill Willis for his career of toughess, character, and accountability. It has become one of the biggest honors for any player that wears an Ohio State jersey.

Heading into the 2024 season, the senior linebacker is looking to finish what he started. He wants to lead the Buckeyes back to a National Championship.

Exemplifying what it means to be a Buckeye. The 2024 Block O recipient, @Cody_Simon30 🌰 pic.twitter.com/HDAKkOvHJX

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 17, 2024

During the 2023 season, he ended up with 45 total tackles and two defended passes. It wasn't his best season, but his leadership was still felt.

Looking ahead to the 2024 season, the Buckeyes are going to need his leadership. They will also need him to have the best season of his career on the field. Ohio State will need to have an elite defense in order to win the championship that they are pursuing so aggressively.

James Laurinaitis, the team's linebackers coach, has spoken out boldly about his star player.

“He’s the unquestioned leader of the group. He’s the leader of the defense.”

With his new role and jersey number, Simon will look to live up to the expectations of the "Block O" athlete. He will be asked to step up as a vocal leader and as a leader with his play.

It's a huge honor, but it comes with a lot of pressure. Simon knows what is expected from him and hopefully he can bring that to the field.