Report: Notre Dame transfer makes unexpected decision on ACC destination

On3 imageby:Simon Gibbs01/15/22

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Notre Dame linebacker Shayne Simon, who entered the NCAA Transfer Portal after the conclusion of the Fighting Irish’s season, has committed to Pitt, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Simon, a 6-foot-2, 233-pound senior figures to be an immediate contributor at Pitt. The West Orange, New Jersey native had a quiet four-year career at Notre Dame. As a freshman, in 2018, he played in nine games totaling four tackles, only to see a slight bump in playing time as a sophomore, tallying nine sacks and 1.5 sacks in 10 games. In 2020, Simon made his greatest impact in South Bend but still managed just 14 tackles (nine solo stops) and four passes defended over the course of the season.

After the departure of defensive coordinator Clark Lea, who left his post at Notre Dame to become the head coach at Vanderbilt, Simon entered the Florida State contest as one of the most experienced members of Notre Dame’s defensive unit. However, he tore his labrum in that season-opening win, and he was forced to miss the remainder of the 2021 season. He continued to play a role in team practices, according to the Observer.

Simon will be one of the top contributors at Pitt, serving as an experienced inside linebacker the likes of which Pitt needed heading into the 2022 season.

Simon, who was recruited as a safety, was a highly-coveted prospect in the 2018 recruiting class. He was labeled a four-star recruit by the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, making him the No. 8 safety and No. 3 recruit in the state of New Jersey.

“To the Notre Dame Family, Coaches, Training, and Support Staff, Thank you for all you do to make Notre Dame the uniquely special place it is,” Simon wrote on Twitter after making his decision. “To my teammates, thank you for creating an amazing brotherhood that has carried this program to greater heights. Coach Freeman, thank you, especially, for your support. I have made the decision to enter my name into the transfer portal as I continue my college football journey. I am excited to close out my Notre Dame career by helping my teammates finish as Fiesta Bowl Champions.”

In his Notre Dame career, Simon finished with just 27 total tackles (12 solo stops), along with three tackles for loss and five passes defended. He chose to attend Notre Dame in high school over other offers from Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan, to name a few of many.