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LB Coach James Laurinaitis (2x B1G DPOY, 2006 Nagurski, 2007 Butkus, 2008 Lott, 3x All-American, OSU HOF)

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Rookie linebackers leading Texans, Rams in tackles
By R.B. Fallstrom (CP)

ST. LOUIS ? In four years at Ohio State, James Laurinaitis was on the losing end only eight times in 51 games. His rookie NFL season has been an eye-opener for its astounding lack of success.

Though Laurinaitis has more than justified the St. Louis Rams' decision to draft the middle linebacker with the second pick of the second round given his team-leading 125 tackles. He's also had to absorb a healthy wallop of humility.

As in one lousy victory for a franchise rebuilding from the ground up entering Sunday's game against the Houston Texans (6-7).

"Anyone that's a competitor wants to win," Laurinaitis said. "No matter what program you come from, you want to win."
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The Canadian Press: Rookie linebackers leading Texans, Rams in tackles

Tough call: This has been a banner year for rookie defensive players. The voting for defensive rookie-of-the-year should be a photo finish involving the following, listed alphabetically:

? Safety Jairus Byrd, Buffalo: The ballhawk from Oregon, whose 17 career college interceptions were the second-most in the 2009 draft, leads the NFL with nine interceptions -- one shy of the Buffalo franchise record.

? Linebacker Brian Cushing, Houston: The former USC star never leaves the field and drops into coverage most of the time. He leads the AFC with 112 tackles and ranks sixth overall. He has led the Texans in tackles in nine of 13 games.

? Linebacker James Laurinaitis, St. Louis: Among the NFL leaders with 117 tackles, he's added two interceptions and one fumble recovery while becoming a vocal team leader.

? Linebacker Clay Matthews, Green Bay: The son of the former Browns great, also from USC, has flourished in Dom Capers' 3-4 scheme since being promoted to the starting lineup in Week 4. His eight sacks leads the team and is second among NFL rookies, he's second on the Packers with 21 hits on quarterbacks and has returned a fumble for a touchdown.

? Linebacker Brian Orakpo, Washington: The former Texas defensive end leads NFL rookies with 11 sacks and is sixth on his team with 53 tackles and has one forced fumble.

Honorable mention: Cornerback Vontae Davis, Miami; safety Louis Delmas, Detroit; defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, Jacksonville; and linebacker Rey Maualuga, Cincinnati
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Browns defense getting a rush (stop, that is) from Ahtyba Rubin: NFL Insider | Cleveland Browns - cleveland.com -
 
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On-the-job training works for Rams' Laurinaitis
By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
01/01/2010

laurinaitis325jan01.jpg

Linebacker James Laurinaitis (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

They weren't exchanging holiday greetings. Rather, the topic of their conversation was hockey.

Specifically, their days as teammates for the Wayzata High Trojans in Plymouth, Minn. Laurinaitis, the Rams' middle linebacker, was a hard-hitting defenseman; Barber, the Texans' free safety, was a high-scoring left winger.

"I started playing hockey when I was 5 years old, way before football," Laurinaitis said. "You had to in Minnesota. You were a loser if you didn't play hockey up there."

Laurinaitis was good enough to land a starting spot on a state all-star team, earn offers from some big-name colleges, and catch the eye of NHL scouts. He was considered a possible second- or third-round draft pick, had he opted for the ice over the gridiron.

But there never was a competition in that arena. "Hockey was my hobby," Laurinaitis said. "Football was my love."

ONTO THE GRIDIRON

Five years after hanging up his skates, Laurinaitis will wrap up his first NFL season when the Rams host San Francisco on Sunday. A second-round draft choice, he's been the Rams' starting middle linebacker since opening day.

The 6-foot-2, 247-pound Ohio State product was the fourth linebacker drafted. Statistically, none of the three taken ahead of him ? Seattle's Aaron Curry, Houston's Brian Cushing and Green Bay's Clay Matthews ? is having a better season.

According to numbers compiled by the various teams, Laurinaitis' 140 tackles are the most among the league's rookies. He also has two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

"He's got a long way to go in certain things, like a lot of rookies would," coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "But his body of work this year has been pretty solid."

With 56 more tackles than the runner-up, safety Oshiomogho Atogwe, Laurinaitis will become the second rookie in franchise history to lead the team for the season. Fellow linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa was the first, with 121 in 2003.

"That's cool and all, but ... as a middle linebacker that stays on the field for all three downs, that's what I think I'm supposed to do," said Laurinaitis, 23. "That's what I expected out of myself, and I think that's what the team expects out of me."
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On-the-job training works for Rams' Laurinaitis - STLtoday.com
 
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Big Ten players of the decade
January, 19, 2010
By Adam Rittenberg

6. James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State: Laurinaitis was quite possibly the most decorated Big Ten player of the decade on either side of the ball. He joined select company at Ohio State in earning All-America honors three times (unanimous in 2007). Laurinaitis won the Butkus and Nagurski awards and twice earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors.
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Big Ten players of the decade - Big Ten Blog - ESPN
 
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By Mike Nahrstedt
Published: January 29th, 2010
Athlon Sports Deputy Editor

Some of them were the stars of last April's Draft and others flew under the radar, but all of Athlon's Rookie Team members excelled in their first season in the league.

2009 ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

LB: James Laurinaitis, Rams. The Rams entrusted Laurinaitis with calling defensive signals from his middle linebacker spot, and he handled it like a veteran.
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NFL: Athlon's All-Rookie Team - AthlonSports.com
 
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Been there, done that

A pair of former Ohio State draftees were at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Tuesday ? kicker Mike Nugent and linebacker James Laurinaitis.

While Nugent (currently a free agent) and Laurinaitis (starting linebacker for St. Louis) were on campus to work out, they also have spent a lot of time talking with former teammates who are eyeing the NFL draft to tell them what to expect.

?It?s going to be demanding,? Laurinaitis said of the upcoming NFL Combine. ?(Scouts) are going to critique everything about you. They?re going to say, ?He looks bad in a uniform. Maybe we should take him later in the draft.? Just little things like that. It?s going to be nerve-racking.?

A first-round draft pick of the Rams last year, Laurinaitis stressed the importance of being mentally strong through the combine, as well as physically prepared.

?Oh definitely, a lot of it is mental,? he said of the combine experience. ?You?ve got a bunch of people telling you how your stock is falling and this and that. Everyone is 100 percent going in. Then they chip at you, chip at you and chip at you. You have to be able to block out all the negative stuff and focus on the positive.?

On the topic of players possibly not being draft, Laurinaitis shrugged and pointed out a handful of non-drafted players made the Rams? roster out of training camp.

?Whether your a free agent or not, just utilize your opportunity when you get there,? he said. ?Don?t worry about where you were drafted or how you got there. If you want to make the team, take advantage of the opportunity when you get to camp.?
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Russell, Buckeyes aim to impress at combine Morning Journal: Serving Lorain, Erie, Huron and western Cuyahoga counties
 
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OregonBuckeye;1661552; said:
Excellent research.
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Not to mention proper grammar:

?Whether your a free agent or not, just utilize your opportunity when you get there,? he said. ?Don?t worry about where you were drafted or how you got there. If you want to make the team, take advantage of the opportunity when you get to camp.?
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Rams thrilled with Laurinaitis

St. Louis went 1-15 last season to earn the first overall pick in the draft this year, but it was through no fault of rookie linebacker James Laurinaitis, a second-round pick last season (35th overall) from Ohio State.

Laurinaitis had 107 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions.

"This guy is everything that you would want in a football player and a person," Rams general manager Billy Devaney said today at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. "He's one of the building blocks that this foundation is going to be built around."

Devaney went on:

"Outstanding player, extremely smart -- he can't get enough football. We talk about finding guys, we've got three characteristics that we apply to everyone _ smart, passionate, productive. This kid is off-the-charts smart (and) passionate.

"Finding kids now that really like playing -- and it's not about the trinkets and cars and all that; that really like playing -- has become the hardest thing to do.

"And Laurinaitis epitomizes guys that like playing football."
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Rams thrilled with Laurinaitis (Blogging the Buckeyes)
 
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I saw Animal at the Edward Jones Dome tonight after the game. It kinda looked like he was trying to escape the crowd before anymore Buckeye fans noticed him. The only thing my brilliant self could think of saying was to ask for his autograph.
 
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Inside the NFL: Rams made the right call in picking Laurinaitis
Maualuga would have been popular choice, but Rams got it right.
By Howard Balzer
Sunday, April 4, 2010

There were some raised eyebrows last April when the Rams selected linebacker James Laurinaitis in the second round of the draft instead of Rey Maualuga. Totally in character, the Bengals selected him three picks after Laurinaitis.

It wasn?t surprising Cincinnati selected him because that team is a close as any in the NFL to Father Flanagan?s Boy?s Town. Have a troubled past? We?re the Bengals; we?ll give you a chance.

With Maualuga, there was no secret that he had off-field issues that involved a penchant for partying, even though there were no known arrests on his record. That changed on Jan. 29 when Maualuga was arrested on drunk driving charges. To his credit, he quickly pleaded guilty four days later, and after meeting with league officials during Super Bowl week soon entered a month-long treatment program at the Center for Drug and Alcohol Programs in Charleston, S.C.

At the recent beginning of Cincinnati?s offseason conditioning program, Maualuga was open in discussing the experience, while claiming the treatment program was ?a life-changer.?

He added, ?It was a great program and I learned a lot from it. I definitely stepped out a different person and a different man. It was a blessing in disguise. I learned a lot about myself that I didn?t know. I got to sit back and listen to people?s stories and people gave me good feedback about mine.

?Overall it definitely helped me out and I?m a different person I can say, but then again I need to show it with my actions and move forward from here.?

Maualuga concluded, ?I know I have been through a little bit of havoc the past couple months. All I can say is you?re looking at a different guy and a different person. I just hope the city of Cincinnati and all my fans will accept my apology and help me through all this and help me move forward.?
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Inside the NFL: Rams made the right call in picking Laurinaitis | St. Louis Globe-Democrat
 
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