Buckeyes: Youth no handicap
By Jon Spencer
News Journal
LEXINGTON -- James Laurinaitis manically waved a towel, whipping his young charges into a frenzy. Brian Hartline, ballcap on backward, stood his ground amid the whirl of activity, directing traffic and shouting encouragement.
The energy level at last week's Lexington Youth Football Camp was off the charts, much of it generated by the two Ohio State Buckeyes in attendance.
"These camps are fun. This is what it's all about ... being a kid," said Laurinaitis, who at 6-3, 250 pounds, with biceps the size of cantaloupes, must have seemed like the Incredible Hulk to the pee-wees.
"When I went to school, I looked up to guys like (running back) Marion Barber, who's with the Cowboys now. He went to my high school. You get excited being around guys like that. Seeing the kids having fun reminds you it's a kid's game."
Laurinaitis and Hartline embraced this opportunity to relive their youth, knowing that when OSU opens camp Aug. 6 they will have to grow up in a hurry.
A sophomore linebacker, Laurinaitis could play a key role on a defense that must replace nine starters, including the entire back seven.
Hartline, a redshirt freshman, is one of several young receivers the Buckeyes hope will complement Heisman Trophy candidate Ted Ginn Jr. and offset the loss of All-American Santonio Holmes.
"I think people realize, even though it's not always acknowledged, that there are always great (players) at Ohio State ... but there's also great people behind them," said Hartline, who led all receivers with seven catches for 88 yards in the spring game. "Guys become great because the guys behind them are pushing them to be great.
"Guys are ready to step up this season. ... the only thing missing is experience."
A brutal September schedule awaits, meaning the new pieces must mesh quickly. The first month finds the Buckeyes hosting defending Big Ten co-champion Penn State and hitting the road for prime-time showdowns with reigning national champion Texas and Iowa.
"We know we have players; our defense did great in the spring," Laurinaitis said. "We just have to jell together and fine-tune some stuff. We have a lot of competition going on at spots and that will just make us better."
Laurinaitis spent most of last season on special teams, playing behind stalwarts A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel. But when Carpenter broke his leg on the first series at Michigan, Laurinaitis was pressed into service and helped limit the Wolverines to 32 yards rushing in OSU's 25-21 victory. He also started against Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.
"I remember coming into camp, my head spinning, not knowing what our base defense is, to now where I'm playing some SAM (strong-side) and some MIKE (middle) and trying to learn everything," said Laurinaitis, OSU's first scholarship player from Minnesota since Sid Gillman in the early 1930s. "Now guys like (fifth-year defensive back) Brandon Mitchell are telling me I'm one of the veterans on defense."
No one is looking forward more to this season than Laurinaitis' father, Joe, better known to pro wrestling fans as "Animal" of Road Warriors/Legion of Doom fame. He recently retired from World Wrestling Entertainment, partly so that he could be at all of his son's games. A wrestling show in Finland cost him a chance to see James' coming-out party in Ann Arbor.
Of course, more free time for Joe Laurinaitis means he can now critique No. 33's every move. But that doesn't seem to bother James.
"My mom (Julie) is the one I worry about," he said. "I could get another tattoo and she would be the one who would say, 'I don't care how you played ... why do you have another tattoo?'" Laurinaitis said, laughing. "I could have 15 tackles in a game and she'll say, 'What happened on the one where you got juked?' But it's all in fun. She's got a competitive spirit."
Growing up around pro wrestling has definitely rubbed off on Laurinaitis. He couldn't resist mixing it up with new Lexington football coach B.J. Payne, whose own rasslin' background had him working for Laurinaitis' uncle, John, in the WWE before a neck injury forced him to retire.
"I've haven't seem (Payne) wrestle, but I'd like to take him in a little match," Laurinaitis said. "I've got a challenge out for him."
Payne didn't even blink.
"He wants it? I can still go one more. ... I've got one more performance in me," Payne, 30, said. "I'll be the wily veteran. I would have to be Ric Flair ... the dirtiest player in the game. I'd have to cheat ... poke him in the eye. I'd pull his hair, but he doesn't have any. I'd have to outsmart him."
Told that Laurinaitis is a 4.0 student and might be hard to outwit, Payne made light of an OSU education.
"It's not Mount Union," he said of the school where he played on three national championship teams.
Laurinaitis, however, had the final word.
"I'll have my dad come down here," he said, "and drill him with a chair."
[email protected] 419-521-7239
Originally published July 25, 2006
</td></tr></tbody></table> First year varsity football coach at Lexington B.J. Payne, is putting on a youth football camp that ran from 8am to noon Friday and will be held again on Saturday at the same time. In addition to Lexington coaches, players and former players. Coach Payne is also getting some big league help from the likes of Buckeye linebacker James Laurinaitis #33. Laurinaitis was thrown into the spotlight against Michigan when linebacker Bobby Carpenter went down with an injury early in the game. Laurinaitis was in on the tackle on the games final play last November 19th when the Buckeyes beat Michigan, but says playing the whole game came as quite a surprise. Also at coach Payne's football camp were OSU wide receiver Brian Hartline, Michigan's Shawn Crable, Michigan State's Nick Smith and Kentucky QB Mike Hartline. High school football conditioning begins Thursday August 3rd. 
