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2008 Linebacker Discussion

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Moving Freeman

It's not the right move for Freeman, but it is the right move for the defense, especially if we want to plan more man coverage this year. However, Freeman can run with just about every receiver (TE or WR) in the Big Ten, which is a huge advantage against the numerous spread offenses in the conference.

It will be interesting if teams try to take advantage by running right at him. Of course, he'll have either Heyward or Rose to help him out. Neither of which is particularly easy to push around.

Homan is better suited to WLB, and would probably have trouble covering slot receivers in man-to-man coverage on a consistent basis. So, in the end, it is the best situation fork the team.
 
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DDN

Linebackers a happy bunch with a big star

By Rusty Miller
Associated Press

Wednesday, August 20, 2008
COLUMBUS ? Marcus Freeman doesn't mind staying in the background while All-American James Laurinaitis gets all the attention.
He's also happy to stay in the shadows when two teammates are trading pranks.
"I'm not a huge fan of people pranking me back, so I just like to watch and get a good laugh," Freeman said of the almost constant give and take between Laurinaitis and his Ohio State backup at linebacker, Austin Spitler.
In the Buckeyes' solar system, everything seems to revolve around Laurinaitis, winner of the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker, a two-time All-American and last season's Big Ten defensive player of the year.
Freeman and the third starting linebacker, Ross Homan, along with Spitler, might be stars at another top 25 program.
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CPD

Ohio State football linebackers draw comparisons to 2005 trio

Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter

Columbus- The kids kept asking, mistaking Ross Homan for the departed star, so after James Laurinaitis left a youth football camp to take a summer school test, Homan had to call him.
"If another kid says, 'James, will you sign my jersey?,' I'm going to freak out," Laurinaitis said Tuesday, recalling Homan's message. "I told Ross plenty of times, his time is coming.
"Ross is going to be the star of the linebackers for years to come here."

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Dispatch
OSU notebook: Position can change if you're linebacker

Wednesday, August 20, 2008 3:15 AM
By Ken Gordon


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/buckeyextra/osufbquiz.html

Linebacker has become a strange place at Ohio State. A few stay and play, but many more end up elsewhere. In the past year, Thaddeus Gibson and Mark Johnson converted to defensive ends, Jermale Hines converted to safety and Curtis Terry well, he's about to set a record for position-switching, from linebacker to fullback to defensive end.
With 10 days to go before the opener, roles for Hines and Tyler Moeller, a backup linebacker, still are unclear. The two have been working as the nickel back at times.
The look gives the Buckeyes more run-stopping power than if they went with the traditional nickel -- adding a fifth defensive back, particularly if that player were a cornerback.
Hines, a sophomore, is 6 feet 2 and 210 pounds. Moeller is 6-0 and 216.
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CFN's unit rankings.

cfn

1. USC
2. tOSU
14. Wiscy
24. Mich St.
32. TSUN
52. Penn St. (Lee's injury would contribute to that)

1. USC[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE][/FONT]Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing are a pair of NFL-ready linebackers still hanging around the Pac 10. Their presence will help ease the transition of Luthur Brown or Kaluka Maiava into the lineup, while giving the program a couple of intimidating defensive players who opposing coaches will have to account for every Saturday. Led by Maualuga and Cushing, this group has a nose for the football and a gift for fighting through blockers to get to the ball carrier. With the front seven that USC will be rolling out this year, the only tackles the safeties and corners make will be on completed passes.

2. Ohio State[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE][/FONT]In one of the biggest upsets of the 2008 season, Laurinaitis decided to come back for his senior season. In a weak year for linebackers, he would've been the first one taken and a near-certain top 20 overall pick, but instead he now has a shot to finish up his career as, arguably, one of the five greatest linebackers to ever play college football. A winner of the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker, and the Nagurski Award (in 2006) as the nation's best defensive player, he has made 236 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, nine sacks and seven interceptions in the last two seasons, highlighted by a 19-tackle day last year in the win over Wisconsin. With two All-America-caliber stars in Laurinaitis and Freeman, the linebacking corps will be among the best in America. There are good backups to count on in a pinch, but the starting strongside job will be the focus until Tyler Moeller, or possibly Curtis Terry, takes the gig by the horns.

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Blade

Linebackers on top of OSU talent list
Laurinaitis, Freeman could be best pair in nation


COLUMBUS - Ohio State is the choice of most to win the Big Ten Conference championship this season. Of course there is an abundance of talent on this team, but that fourth straight title is expected to reside here based primarily on the experience and depth the Buckeyes possess. Nowhere on the field is that experience more entrenched, more apparent than at linebacker, where seniors James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman are both three-year starters, both strong candidates for many postseason honors, and both likely have a solid future in the professional ranks. "We've been fortunate to have a lot of very good linebackers during my time at Ohio State, and many great ones have played here over the years," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said about his resident head-knockers. "Marcus and James are part of that solid tradition at linebacker, as much for the kind of people they are as for their playing ability. They are outstanding young men as well as exceptionally gifted football players." At the same school that produced Chris Spielman, Andy Katzenmoyer, Tom Cousineau and Randy Gradishar, it was just three years ago that A.J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter were being lauded as one of the best linebacker combinations this program had seen. Now Laurinaitis and Freeman are frequently placed in that same lofty company. "I like the fact that people mention Marcus and I together," Laurinaitis said. "It seems like we've been friends and teammates a long time, and we know we can rely on each other. If we need to make a play and I don't get there, I'm pretty sure Marcus will."
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