COLUMBUS, Ohio — When it felt like the game started to turn, he was everywhere.
Ohio State football trailed early in Saturday’s contest against Indiana, but there was a shift in the second quarter. And he was a big reason why.
No, not Caleb Downs – the star safety who returned a punt for a touchdown against the Hoosiers.
It was Cody Simon – the star linebacker who wears the Buckeyes’ most important jersey. He’s a leader and a veteran, but during the second quarter when the game turned in OSU’s favor on Saturday, he was a game-wrecker.
He was with IU’s Ty Son Lawton on a first down play when he limited the running back to a two-yard reception. On the next play, he stopped Lawton after a seven-yard catch.
He added an exclamation point on the drive with the next play. With Indiana facing third down, Simon crashed through the backfield and joined defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau in a sack of IU quarterback Kurtis Rourke.
The play forced a punt, putting Ohio State’s offense back on the field. A minute later, the game was tied at seven.
Simon finished with 10 tackles, including 2.5 sacks against the Hoosiers. It was the pinnacle of a changing defense for the Buckeyes.
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has been more aggressive since the Buckeyes’ loss at Oregon on Oct. 12. It has centered around unleashing his linebackers – Simon and Sonny Styles – on blitzes.
“Whatever he puts in front of us, we just try to do it to the best of our ability,” Simon said postgame. “I trust everything he does. Whatever he puts in front of us, we’re just going to try to execute to the best of our ability.”
OK, let’s talk Caleb Downs
You’re right. It’s unfair to talk about the game turning without diving deeper into Downs.
The former Alabama transfer flipped the contest with his 79-yard punt return early in the third quarter. It was his first score as a Buckeye, but it may not be the last.
OSU coach Ryan Day mentioned in the offseason that Downs could get snaps on offense, though it hasn’t happened this year. However, he started factoring into the punt return game during a Oct. 26 win vs. Nebraska.
“It felt like it was normal,” Downs said of his score. “It felt like it was the right thing for me to have the ball in my hands – to be in the field of play.”
He parlayed that special teams spark with five tackles, including two solo.
“He’s a special player, man,” quarterback Will Howard said of Downs. “He might be one of the best football players I’ve been around, period. He’s so instinctual.”
Did Ryan Day run it up on Indiana? It doesn’t matter
Online discourse after Ohio State’s win quickly circled around a late decision from Day. In the final seconds of the contest, the Buckeyes scored to go up 38-15 rather than take a knee.
Many felt Day was running up the score in bad taste. To be frank, it doesn’t matter.
Nobody was hurt on the final plays, nor will the 38 points knock Indiana out of the College Football Playoff race compared to 31.
Day’s motto for the season is to leave no doubt, and he followed his own mantra by staying aggressive.