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LB Coach James Laurinaitis (2x B1G DPOY, 2006 Nagurski, 2007 Butkus, 2008 Lott, 3x All-American, OSU HOF)
- Thread starter BuckNutty
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Laurinaitis is a keeper, Mason says
The Minneapolis-St. Paul Pioneer Press
October 25, 2006
When one gets away, there's always a tendency to downplay the significance. In the case of James Laurinaitis, the line was something like, 'Oh, he wasn't that good.'
Still is in some circles, and that's hard to believe.
Somehow, Laurinaitis has replaced one of the great middle linebackers at a school known for its middle linebackers without missing a beat. The true sophomore leads Ohio State with 64 tackles and four interceptions, ranks second with seven tackles for losses and has two forced fumbles.
The performance has made him a finalist for the Butkus Award given annually to the nation's best linebacker.
Yet at Minnesota coach Glen Mason's news conference Tuesday, it was suggested by a member of the media that the kid from Hamel, Minn., is as much a product of his teammates as his own talents. To his credit, Mason put the kibosh on that.
'They have a lot of great linebackers,' Mason said, 'but if he's starting, he's better than the other ones they've got.'
Minnesota was onto Laurinaitis early enough, offering him a scholarship after his junior season at Wayzata High School, the player said. It wasn't until he was a senior that Ohio State came calling, and by then Minnesota assumed he was a Gophers commitment.
'That was a communication thing,' Laurinaitis said Wednesday. 'I said something that was taken as a commitment.'
Ohio State doesn't often come calling this far north; Laurinaitis is the first scholarship player from Minnesota to play for the Buckeyes since Sid Gillman from 1930-33. The unusual attention was hard to ignore.
'After I came out and visited, it was a no-brainer,' he said, 'and that's why I made my decision and stuck with it.'
Laurinaitis was one of four top Minnesota recruits to commit elsewhere in 2004. He said he doesn't believe there are hard feelings about his decision.
'They were upset I wasn't coming there,' he said, 'but there was no grief. A lot of people were saying, 'We're happy for you, congratulations and good luck,' rather than hating on me for leaving and coming here.'
'I wish he would have come here,' Mason said, 'but at the same time, it's a free country. They go where they want. If he thinks it's in his best interest to go somewhere else, so be it. Athletes do that all the time. No one held a gun to my head when I chose colleges. I don't think anyone should do it to anyone else.'
Laurinaitis made 193 tackles, 28 for losses, as a senior at Wayzata, but he didn't suspect he would play as a true freshman - not with future NFL picks A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel in place. Still, he started the season as the third-string strong-side linebacker behind Carpenter and because of injuries was starting by the Fiesta Bowl.
That talent around him did help him matriculate, Laurinaitis said.
'Playing with guys that caliber, you know if you make a mistake, A.J. or Anthony is going to cover up for it,' he said. 'There wasn't a lot of pressure with so many talented guys around you. They said, 'Don't worry about it, just play.' It means a lot to hear that from guys that talented.'
In August, Laurinaitis was tabbed to replaced Hawk, the second-leading tackler for the Green Bay Packers this season, at middle linebacker. His leap in production has been dramatic, from nine tackles all last season to 64 through eight games this year, and he is playing for a national title.
The Buckeyes (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten) are ranked No. 1 nationally and first in the Bowl Championship Series rankings. If they win their next four games, they'll play for the championship Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz.
But Laurinaitis doesn't think he's quite as good as his mentors just now.
'I don't feel like I've arrived yet,' he said. 'I don't feel like I'm playing at any level that those guys were playing at last season. I still watch game film from last season and see those guys flying around and controlling the game. I really don't feel I've arrived at their level yet.'
Laurinaitis is a keeper, Mason says
The Minneapolis-St. Paul Pioneer Press
October 25, 2006
That was a communication thing
When one gets away, there's always a tendency to downplay the significance. In the case of James Laurinaitis, the line was something like, 'Oh, he wasn't that good.'
Still is in some circles, and that's hard to believe.
Somehow, Laurinaitis has replaced one of the great middle linebackers at a school known for its middle linebackers without missing a beat. The true sophomore leads Ohio State with 64 tackles and four interceptions, ranks second with seven tackles for losses and has two forced fumbles.
The performance has made him a finalist for the Butkus Award given annually to the nation's best linebacker.
Yet at Minnesota coach Glen Mason's news conference Tuesday, it was suggested by a member of the media that the kid from Hamel, Minn., is as much a product of his teammates as his own talents. To his credit, Mason put the kibosh on that.
'They have a lot of great linebackers,' Mason said, 'but if he's starting, he's better than the other ones they've got.'
Minnesota was onto Laurinaitis early enough, offering him a scholarship after his junior season at Wayzata High School, the player said. It wasn't until he was a senior that Ohio State came calling, and by then Minnesota assumed he was a Gophers commitment.
'That was a communication thing,' Laurinaitis said Wednesday. 'I said something that was taken as a commitment.'
Ohio State doesn't often come calling this far north; Laurinaitis is the first scholarship player from Minnesota to play for the Buckeyes since Sid Gillman from 1930-33. The unusual attention was hard to ignore.
'After I came out and visited, it was a no-brainer,' he said, 'and that's why I made my decision and stuck with it.'
Laurinaitis was one of four top Minnesota recruits to commit elsewhere in 2004. He said he doesn't believe there are hard feelings about his decision.
'They were upset I wasn't coming there,' he said, 'but there was no grief. A lot of people were saying, 'We're happy for you, congratulations and good luck,' rather than hating on me for leaving and coming here.'
'I wish he would have come here,' Mason said, 'but at the same time, it's a free country. They go where they want. If he thinks it's in his best interest to go somewhere else, so be it. Athletes do that all the time. No one held a gun to my head when I chose colleges. I don't think anyone should do it to anyone else.'
Laurinaitis made 193 tackles, 28 for losses, as a senior at Wayzata, but he didn't suspect he would play as a true freshman - not with future NFL picks A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel in place. Still, he started the season as the third-string strong-side linebacker behind Carpenter and because of injuries was starting by the Fiesta Bowl.
That talent around him did help him matriculate, Laurinaitis said.
'Playing with guys that caliber, you know if you make a mistake, A.J. or Anthony is going to cover up for it,' he said. 'There wasn't a lot of pressure with so many talented guys around you. They said, 'Don't worry about it, just play.' It means a lot to hear that from guys that talented.'
In August, Laurinaitis was tabbed to replaced Hawk, the second-leading tackler for the Green Bay Packers this season, at middle linebacker. His leap in production has been dramatic, from nine tackles all last season to 64 through eight games this year, and he is playing for a national title.
The Buckeyes (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten) are ranked No. 1 nationally and first in the Bowl Championship Series rankings. If they win their next four games, they'll play for the championship Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz.
But Laurinaitis doesn't think he's quite as good as his mentors just now.
'I don't feel like I've arrived yet,' he said. 'I don't feel like I'm playing at any level that those guys were playing at last season. I still watch game film from last season and see those guys flying around and controlling the game. I really don't feel I've arrived at their level yet.'
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Buckeyes' Laurinaitis steps into lead role
At the age of 19, the former Wayzata standout is the defensive signal caller for the top-ranked team in the country.
Dean Spiros,
Star TribuneLast
update: October 26, 2006 ? 10:47 PM
James Laurinaitis sacks Iowa QB.
Neal C. Lauron, Columbus Dispatch
GOPHERS AT NO. 1 OHIO STATE
Up next: 2:30 p.m. Saturday
Ohio Stadium ? Ch. 5 ? 830-AM
Gophers
COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Ohio State Buckeyes had just completed their demolition of Indiana at Ohio Stadium last Saturday when sophomore linebacker James Laurinaitis joined his teammates in encircling the school band for the singing of "Carmen, Ohio," OSU's alma mater. Wearing a smile befitting a kid on Christmas morning, Laurinaitis looked to the stands to acknowledge his burgeoning fan club, his eyes settling on four students wearing No. 33 Ohio State jerseys. Two of them were easy to spot, replete with shoulder pads adorned with spikes and gold championship belts wrapped around their waists -- all to pay homage to "The Little Animal."
Like his father, Joe, the former professional wrestler, Laurinaitis has developed a fan base that appreciates his expertise in the body slam.
"It's an honor to have those guys take the time to do that," Laurinaitis said.
It's a feeling he likely is going to get used to.
The former Wayzata High School standout recently was named one of the 10 semifinalists for the Butkus Award, which will be presented to the nation's top linebacker at season's end. Laurinaitis (6-3, 244 pounds) quickly established himself as a leader on the defense of the top-ranked Buckeyes that will try to wreak havoc on the Gophers on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
He leads the Buckeyes in interceptions (four) and tackles, calls the defenses and, despite being only 19, has eased the pain the Buckeyes felt when they lost all three starting linebackers -- A. J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel -- to the NFL after last season.
"James is a monster," Buckeyes senior defensive end Jay Richardson said. "He doesn't think too much out there, he just plays. He's the quarterback of the defense, and he's a good young leader. He'll go out there to tell you something that gets you fired up."
Aware of the tradition and notoriety that goes with Ohio State football, Laurinaitis is hungry for a piece of it.
"I was fortunate to play with the [linebackers] that were here last year," Laurinaitis said. "They were unbelievable leaders and unbelievable guys. I certainly don't feel I am at the level of those three guys yet, so that's what keeps me motivated."
A change of plans
Joe Laurinaitis was on a business trip to Ohio years ago when he stopped to pick up an Andy Katzenmoyer Ohio State jersey for his then-10-year-old son, James. Little did he know, nine years later his son would play for the same team, man the same position and hear the same accolades.
After all, James was like so many other athletes growing up in the Twin Cities. He wanted to one day play for the Gophers. He had talked about it with his best buddy, Dominique Barber, who he said actually is more like a brother. They were going to be high school teammates and then keep a good thing going at the U.
"Dom used to stay at my house whenever the Gophers played away during the time [his older brother] Marion played," Laurinaitis said. "We've been best friends since back in elementary school. We'd always be on each other saying, 'Well, my dad [Marion Barber] played in the NFL. Well, my dad is a professional wrestler.' That's how we got to know each other, bragging about our fathers."
Barber signed with the Gophers and will face his good friend on Saturday as a junior safety. While there have been conflicting reports on whether Laurinaitis made a verbal commitment to the Gophers, he confirms that he did. Verbal commitments are not binding.
"The coaches asked me, and I said sure, because that was my only offer," Laurinaitis said. "And then things started opening up a little bit. When you have a school like this come after you, it's going to make an impression on you."
The OSU coaches made an impression on the entire Laurinaitis family.
"This is what football is all about," Julie Laurinaitis said after greeting her son following last Saturday's game. "This is a very family-oriented environment."
While James Laurinaitis will have no mercy on the Gophers on Saturday, he said it does bother him to see them going through such hard times.
"I want them to do well," Laurinaitis said. "When it comes down to me and them, I want us to kill them. Otherwise, when I see them lose it's a bummer, because I know what Dom is going through.
"I'm friends with a lot of those guys. Things were [getting better] for a while, but this year they're going backwards again."
Buckeyes' Laurinaitis steps into lead role
At the age of 19, the former Wayzata standout is the defensive signal caller for the top-ranked team in the country.
Dean Spiros,
Star TribuneLast
update: October 26, 2006 ? 10:47 PM
James Laurinaitis sacks Iowa QB.Neal C. Lauron, Columbus Dispatch
GOPHERS AT NO. 1 OHIO STATE
Up next: 2:30 p.m. Saturday
Ohio Stadium ? Ch. 5 ? 830-AM
Gophers
COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Ohio State Buckeyes had just completed their demolition of Indiana at Ohio Stadium last Saturday when sophomore linebacker James Laurinaitis joined his teammates in encircling the school band for the singing of "Carmen, Ohio," OSU's alma mater. Wearing a smile befitting a kid on Christmas morning, Laurinaitis looked to the stands to acknowledge his burgeoning fan club, his eyes settling on four students wearing No. 33 Ohio State jerseys. Two of them were easy to spot, replete with shoulder pads adorned with spikes and gold championship belts wrapped around their waists -- all to pay homage to "The Little Animal."
Like his father, Joe, the former professional wrestler, Laurinaitis has developed a fan base that appreciates his expertise in the body slam.
"It's an honor to have those guys take the time to do that," Laurinaitis said.
It's a feeling he likely is going to get used to.
The former Wayzata High School standout recently was named one of the 10 semifinalists for the Butkus Award, which will be presented to the nation's top linebacker at season's end. Laurinaitis (6-3, 244 pounds) quickly established himself as a leader on the defense of the top-ranked Buckeyes that will try to wreak havoc on the Gophers on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
He leads the Buckeyes in interceptions (four) and tackles, calls the defenses and, despite being only 19, has eased the pain the Buckeyes felt when they lost all three starting linebackers -- A. J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel -- to the NFL after last season.
"James is a monster," Buckeyes senior defensive end Jay Richardson said. "He doesn't think too much out there, he just plays. He's the quarterback of the defense, and he's a good young leader. He'll go out there to tell you something that gets you fired up."
Aware of the tradition and notoriety that goes with Ohio State football, Laurinaitis is hungry for a piece of it.
"I was fortunate to play with the [linebackers] that were here last year," Laurinaitis said. "They were unbelievable leaders and unbelievable guys. I certainly don't feel I am at the level of those three guys yet, so that's what keeps me motivated."
A change of plans
Joe Laurinaitis was on a business trip to Ohio years ago when he stopped to pick up an Andy Katzenmoyer Ohio State jersey for his then-10-year-old son, James. Little did he know, nine years later his son would play for the same team, man the same position and hear the same accolades.
After all, James was like so many other athletes growing up in the Twin Cities. He wanted to one day play for the Gophers. He had talked about it with his best buddy, Dominique Barber, who he said actually is more like a brother. They were going to be high school teammates and then keep a good thing going at the U.
"Dom used to stay at my house whenever the Gophers played away during the time [his older brother] Marion played," Laurinaitis said. "We've been best friends since back in elementary school. We'd always be on each other saying, 'Well, my dad [Marion Barber] played in the NFL. Well, my dad is a professional wrestler.' That's how we got to know each other, bragging about our fathers."
Barber signed with the Gophers and will face his good friend on Saturday as a junior safety. While there have been conflicting reports on whether Laurinaitis made a verbal commitment to the Gophers, he confirms that he did. Verbal commitments are not binding.
"The coaches asked me, and I said sure, because that was my only offer," Laurinaitis said. "And then things started opening up a little bit. When you have a school like this come after you, it's going to make an impression on you."
The OSU coaches made an impression on the entire Laurinaitis family.
"This is what football is all about," Julie Laurinaitis said after greeting her son following last Saturday's game. "This is a very family-oriented environment."
While James Laurinaitis will have no mercy on the Gophers on Saturday, he said it does bother him to see them going through such hard times.
"I want them to do well," Laurinaitis said. "When it comes down to me and them, I want us to kill them. Otherwise, when I see them lose it's a bummer, because I know what Dom is going through.
"I'm friends with a lot of those guys. Things were [getting better] for a while, but this year they're going backwards again."
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coxew
Heisman
While he may be the most talented WR in the country and possibly the first WR taken in the draft, I honestly don't think he deserves the award. Yes, his QB is not very good, but how can the honor of the top WR in the country go to a guy who is:Dryden;638908; said:
1) ranked 32nd nationally in receiving yardage
2) tied for 49th nationally in receptions
3) 63rd nationally in yards per reception
4) was completely shut out in his teams biggest loss of the season.
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coxew;644994; said:
I'm as fascinated by stats as anybody on this board.
But choosing the best WR has nothing to do with stats. If CJ were with the Buckeyes, discarding the fact that he would have better coaching and would have developed better (scary), no one would doubt that he was the best WR in the USA.
As it is, the only reason people doubt it is because of stats.
He's either the best WR in the country or he's not. Stats be damned.
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coxew
Heisman
He may be the best and I believe that he probably is, but don't you need to perform in order to be given the award? What if he went the whole year with only 30 catches for 500 yards due to poor QB play or bad play calling? It may not be his fault but are those numbers good enough to be a major award winner? The Biletnikoff isn't awarded for the best pro prospect or the most talented player.DaddyBigBucks;645026; said:
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OSU Picture Archive
LEFT: Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis sacks Minnesota quarterback Bryan Cupito in the second quarter. (James Miller, NNCO)
RIGHT: Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis makes sure that Minnesota tight end Jack Simmons does not haul in a first quarter pass. (Jason J. Molyet, NNCO)
LEFT: Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis sacks Minnesota quarterback Bryan Cupito in the second quarter. (James Miller, NNCO)
RIGHT: Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis makes sure that Minnesota tight end Jack Simmons does not haul in a first quarter pass. (Jason J. Molyet, NNCO)
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Crystal76
Muck Fichigan
Okay, already had this convo. I LOVE linebackers. This guy has exceeded all expectations I had. Another GREAT hit. Another INT.
There are few things in the game of Football that I love better than a GREAT run by a tailback, while being tackled by four guys still dragging them seven yards.
BUT. Watching the linebackers burst through a pocket, gobbling up offensive lines like they are nothing more than their Morning wheaties....THAT is what makes a football game for me.
He delievers on every preformance. I LOVE this guy....
There are few things in the game of Football that I love better than a GREAT run by a tailback, while being tackled by four guys still dragging them seven yards.
BUT. Watching the linebackers burst through a pocket, gobbling up offensive lines like they are nothing more than their Morning wheaties....THAT is what makes a football game for me.
He delievers on every preformance. I LOVE this guy....
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