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

[RB07OSU]

So, if that theory holds true, then JL should win the Butkus Award this year?
Watch the opposite happen.......................................:(
Just sayin'.......

Likely will happen that way but I would just like to see Lil' Animal get it. Mainly because he's a Buck but I think either of Connor or JL is deserving of the award but Hawk got seriously screwed the one year. Shoot, even Posluszny said Hawk should have won.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

If you're talking about OSU winning the game then I can agree. If you are going by stats of this game you're off the mark. JL actually had one of his worst games as a Buckeye against PSU this year, of course they game-planned specifically for him and Freeman was everywhere in lieu of that fact. Connor had a decent game for them and since he's becoming the PSU all-time leading tackler this week, he's going to be tough to beat out.

If they take a special look at intangibles I too think JL should win. On stats alone this season JL won't win it.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

Laurinaitis Named 2007 Butkus Award ? Finalist - The Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletics Site - OhioStateBuckeyes.com

ORLANDO - The Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Inc. (DACO), the organization which annually presents the prestigious Butkus Award? to the nation's best collegiate linebacker, has announced the three finalists for this year's award.

Dan Connor - Penn State
Jordon Dizon - Colorado
[URL="https://admin.xosn.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=87743&SPID=10408&DB_OEM_ID=17300&ATCLID=1059421"]James Laurinaitis[/URL] - Ohio State

The winner will be announced in December in Orlando, FL. The independent Butkus Award ? Selection Committee for the 2007 Butkus Award ?, comprised of some of the nation's foremost journalists, is solely and exclusively responsible for all voting in the Butkus Award ? selection process. Voting for the three finalists and the Butkus Award ? winner will be conducted by exclusive confidential ballots of the Selection Committee. The Butkus Award ? is regarded as one of the most elite individual honors in college football. Past recipients include such outstanding linebackers as: Patrick Willis (2006-Mississippi); Paul Posluszny (2005-Penn State); Derrick Johnson (2004-Texas); Teddy Lehman, (2003-Oklahoma); E.J. Henderson (2002-Maryland); Rocky Calmus (2001-Oklahoma); Dan Morgan (2000-Miami (FL); LaVar Arrington (1999-Penn State); Chris Claiborne (1998-Southern Cal); Andy Katzenmoyer (1997-Ohio State); Matt Russell (1996 Colorado); Kevin Hardy (1995-Illinois); Dana Howard (1994-Illinois); Trev Alberts (1993-Nebraska); Marvin Jones (1992-Florida State); Erick Anderson (1991-Michigan); Alfred Williams (1990-Colorado); Percy Snow (1989-Michigan State); Derrick Thomas (1988-Alabama); Paul McGowan (1987-Florida State); and Brian Bosworth (1985 and 1986-Oklahoma). Created in 1985 by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando Inc., the Butkus Award ? carries the name of one of the greatest middle linebackers in football history.

Never forget.

Finished it for you

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

On stats alone this season JL won't win it.

In 2005, Hawk had Pusslumpski beat in every category but one (total tackles, IIRC) and even in that category Pusslumpski had exactly one more than Hawk. Stats-wise Hawk was well above Pusslumpski, and we saw what good that did him.

EDIT: Went back and got the stats for 2005, pre-bowls (i.e., the stats up to the Butkus Award). Puss'ski actually had two more total tackles than A.J. (111 to 109). A.J. led all others categories:

.................. Hawk ... Pski
Tackles (Solo) .... 60 ..... 60
Tackles (Asst) .... 49 ..... 51
Sacks ............. 7.5 ..... 3
Forced Fumbles ..... 1 ...... 0
Interceptions ...... 1 ...... 0

 

[sandgk]

In 2005, Hawk had Pusslumpski beat in every category but one (total tackles, IIRC) and even in that category Pusslumpski had exactly one more than Hawk. Stats-wise Hawk was well above Pusslumpski, and we saw what good that did him.

Hawk had Poz beat on that one as well.
Tackles - Assist- Solo - Total
AJ Hawk 52 - 69 - 121 - 88 yards lost
The Poz 52 - 64 - 116 - 38 yards lost

The one stat The Poz had a check mark in that AJ Hawk didn't?

QB Hurries - with exactly one.

Which was another way of underscoring how few QB sacks Poz had compared to Hawk.
Poz 2 solo, 2 assist - 21 yards lost
Hawk 9 Solo 1 Assist - 75 Yards lost.

 

[Taosman]

State Penn was a big story that year and it helped keep Poz in the limelight. That and JoePa pimping him at every interview.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Hawk had Poz beat on that one as well.
Tackles - Assist- Solo - Total
A.J. Hawk 52 - 69 - 121 - 88 yards lost
The Poz 52 - 64 - 116 - 38 yards lost

You were posting while I was editing my original post. I didn't count the bowl game stats since they were after the award. Pre-award Pusslowski had two more tackles...

 

[osucollegebuck]

Any word on JL going into the draft this April (hopefully not)?

 

[Bestbuck36]

I think Hell is freezing over as we speak.


Mark May just said his Heisman finalists are:

1. Dennis Dixon, deserves to be there.

2. Chase Daniel, a bit of a surprise but worthy.

3. James Laurinitis, ........... at a loss for words.

Do I think James should get mention? Of course. Mark May saying something positive about a Buckeye, two weeks in a row no less.......scares the shit out of me frankly.

On another note, Musberger stated during the Army/Rutgers game last night via telephone, that he was voting for Laurinitis for the Heisman. He was talking about the #1 vote. He may have been drunk however so keep your eyes and ears open for that one.

All in all, its awesome that James is getting this kind of pub and sooner or later you'd think a defensive player just might win this thing. Its not likely but possible.

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

You were posting while I was editing my original post. I didn't count the bowl game stats since they were after the award. Pre-award Pusslowski had two more tackles...

It will stick with me that even Puz proclaimed Hawk the BEST LB in the nation...

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

Man.. I can hardly wait to watch JL in his senior year...

 

[Nordberg]

Laurinaitis Named Lott Trophy Semi-Finalist - The Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletics Site - OhioStateBuckeyes.com


NEWPORT BEACH, Ca. ? Ohio State junior linebacker [URL="https://admin.xosn.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=87743&SPID=10408&DB_OEM_ID=17300&ATCLID=1059421"]James Laurinaitis[/URL] has been named one of the eight semi-finalists for the fourth annual Lott Trophy, it was announced today by the Board of Directors of The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation of Newport Beach, Ca.

The 6-3, 244-pound Laurinaitis won the Nagurski Award last year as a sophomore and is a finalist for the Butkus Award this season.
?This is an outstanding group of candidates and I?m proud of each and every one of them for how they handle themselves on and off the football field,? said Ronnie Lott.
In its fourth year, The Lott Trophy honors the college football Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. The student-athlete is judged on both his on-field performance and his off-field performance. The Lott Trophy is the only sports award based on personal character and is appropriately named after Lott, the legendary defensive back, who had Hall of Fame careers at both the college (USC) and professional (49ers, Raiders, Jets) levels. Previous winners were David Pollack of Georgia; DeMeco Ryans of Alabama; and Daymeion Hughes of Cal.

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

A new Laurinaitis:
The last time OSU junior linebacker James Laurinaitis played at Michigan, starting linebacker Bobby Carpenter broke a bone just above his right ankle on the first play of the game, and the freshman Laurinaitis, who had just covered the kickoff, was rushed in for the first major defensive action of his career.
"I ran off the field and went to go get a drink of water and all of a sudden they were yelling at me to get in the game," Laurinaitis said this week. "I was extremely nervous and I remember A.J. Hawk and Anthony Schlegel saying, 'Calm down,' and saying, 'You're going to be fine.' . . . I don't know if I was really ready to play, but being thrown in there definitely helped with confidence."
So at least Laurinaitis has some idea what to expect at the Big House. And he should be a little more active than he was that day, when he made his only tackle on the final play.

 

[Nordberg]

Laurinaitis Among Five Finalists Named For 2007 Bronko Nagurski Trohpy - The Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletics Site - OhioStateBuckeyes.com

DALLAS (FWAA) ? Five finalists for the 2007 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, including last season's winner James Laurinaitis of Ohio State, were announced on Thursday by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club.

Vying for the honor of the best defensive football player in college football are Laurinaitis, LSU tackle Glenn Dorsey, Virginia end Chris Long, South Florida end George Selvie and Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib.
The winner will be announced on Dec. 3 and presented the Bronko Nagurski Trophy at a gala banquet at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C., where Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer will give the keynote address.
In addition, the FWAA and Charlotte Touchdown Club will present the first Bronko Nagurski Legends Award presented by CSX Intermodal to members of the Michigan State and Notre Dame football teams who played to the historic 10-10 tie in 1966.
The FWAA award is named after Nagurski, who dominated college football at Minnesota as a bruising fullback and tackle from 1927-29. He could have been an All-America at any position, playing 60 minutes and was the best player wherever he lined up.
Laurinaitis, a 6-3, 240-pound junior linebacker from Hamel, Minn., will spearhead the Buckeyes' defense in their showdown with Michigan on Saturday. He was named Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week this season for his inspiring career-high, 19-tackle performance in the Buckeyes' 38-17 victory over Wisconsin. This season, Laurinatis has eight tackles for 32 yards in losses and 97 total tackles for the once-beaten Buckeyes. He will seek to join Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald (1995-96) as the second player to win back-to-back Nagurski Trophies.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Never satisfied
Awards, honors haven't diminished Laurinaitis' desire to keep improving
Friday, November 16, 2007 3:58 AM
By Ken Gordon


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Neal C. Lauron | Dispatch
Ohio State's James Laurinaitis prepares and plays like someone who is afraid the competition might be gaining on him.





It's funny now to think of James Laurinaitis as a scared kid. But that's exactly what he was two years ago in Michigan Stadium. As a freshman linebacker for Ohio State, Laurinaitis had just finished covering a kickoff when he was pressed into duty. On Michigan's first play, Buckeyes linebacker Bobby Carpenter suffered a broken ankle.



Cont...