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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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I've gotta be honest, I'd take Rey over James at middle linebacker. James makes a lot of tackles, but I'd like to see him right off blocks a little better (he was better last year than his sophomore year, but could still get better). Rey has the pure mass and strength to punish lead blockers and clog the middle of the line. James seems a little more comfortable playing in space, and diagnosing then running down plays (which he excels at). It's certainly not a criticism of James, it's just my opinion of his play style.

To his credit, I think James has one of the very few skills that AJ Hawk needs to develop more: man coverage. I'm a huge Packer fan (so I see all the games - thanks NFL Sunday Ticket), but I dread watching Hawk try to cover guys like Antonio Gates and Jason Witten. He's got the speed, but doesn't quite seem to have the coverage skills yet. James, on the other hand, seems to be quite good in coverage. I haven't seen him play outside linebacker yet (and yeah, there's a big difference between middle and outside - not all guys who are good in the middle are good on the outside), but I think he could be a real stud at outside linebacker on an NFL level.

I still think James wins the Nagurski award and is an All American again. If he does, he's easily the most decorated defender OSU has ever produced, and arguably the best. I think Hawk edges him a little bit (and Hawk got cheated out of a few awards, so there's that), but James is right in the conversation.

I'm really excited to see Freeman; he seemed to get a bit bigger and stronger in the offseason, and hopefully that will improve his game against the run. If so, offenses won't be able to key a lead blocker on James for every inside run - they'll have to respect Freeman a lot more. That could really help boost James production.
 
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Dispatch

Laurinaitis becomes two-time captain for Buckeyes

Friday, August 22, 2008 3:07 PM
By Tim May


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Linebacker James Laurinaitis will serve a second year as co-captain of the second-ranked Ohio State football team, becoming just the seventh two-time captain in the program's history.
Junior wide receiver Brian Hartline just revealed this afternoon who the four captains will be, saying Laurinaitis is joined by receiver Brian Robiskie, quarterback Todd Boeckman and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, all seniors.
Laurinaitis, a senior from Hamel (Wayzata), Minn., wasn't available for comment. He joins a select list of former two-timers: Richard Ellis, 1891 and '92; Archie Griffin, 1974 and '75; Glen Cobb, 1981 and '82; Pepper Johnson, 1984 and '85; and Steve Bellisari and Joe Cooper, who served together in 2000 and 2001.

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Link

Laurinaitis returns to lead Buckeyes

By Jeff McLane
Inquirer Staff Writer
CHIGAGO - James Laurinaitis has a large tattoo on each arm.
"I wanted to get more," said the Ohio State linebacker, "but too expensive."
There was an easy way to afford such an extravagance: enter the 2008 NFL Draft.
But rather than do that, where he likely would have been selected in the first round, thus guaranteeing as many tattoos as he wanted, Laurinaitis decided last January to return to the Buckeyes for his final season.
Conventional wisdom said Laurinaitis, along with several other draft-caliber seniors, came back to Columbus to win that elusive national championship. Conventional wisdom would be wrong, according to the all-American.
"That was probably the least influence in my decision," Laurinaitis said. "Of any team, we should know how hard it is to get there and win that game." As if losing in back-to-back BCS title games is some cross to bear, Ohio State enters the 2008 college football season with yet another national championship-worthy team, even though some Buckeyes fans can't bear the thought of coming up short yet again. But with 18 starters returning and a showdown with No. 3-ranked Southern Cal just weeks away, No. 2 Ohio State is right back in the preseason mix.

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Lots of tackles, lots of awards, lots to prove
Without national title, feats ring hollow to decorated LB
By JON SPENCER ? For The Advocate ? August 26, 2008

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COLUMBUS -- Teammates kid him about having the same Dumbo ears and speaking manner as uber-swimmer and Olympic golden boy Michael Phelps. But Ohio State football star James Laurinaitis knows to truly be like Mike, he needs to win a national championship.


It matters little to Laurinaitis that he already is a consensus All-American and one of the most decorated linebackers to ever wear a Buckeyes uniform.

Or that the silver lining in Ohio State's back-to-back BCS title game losses is 118 teams gladly would have traded places with the Buckeyes.

In his mind, only a national title will show he has the Phelpsian touch.

"I think there's a lot to prove," said the reigning Butkus Award winner and recipient of the 2006 Nagurski Award as the nation's best defensive player. "People in Ohio have my back, but outside of Ohio they're wondering if I can play consistently at a high level. That motivates me.

"You can be a leader of a team, but until you get it done ... it's the same way people talk about certain quarterbacks and how they haven't done this or that. Are you going to get over the hump?

"As a linebacker, you're the leader of the defense and you haven't been able to get over the hump. I carry a big burden. We have to get over the hump."
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Lots of tackles, lots of awards, lots to prove | newarkadvocate.com | The Newark Advocate
 
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ESPN - Checking in with ... James Laurinaitis - Big Ten

Checking in with ... James Laurinaitis
September 3, 2008 10:30 AM
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

First things first. James Laurinaitis isn't a podiatrist and doesn't know when his Ohio State teammate Beanie Wells will return to the field. The Buckeyes star linebacker and two-time team captain is more focused on leading a dominant defense featuring several potential All-Americans. Laurinaitis, the reigning Butkus Award winner and former National Defensive Player of the Year, was among the Buckeyes stars who passed up NFL money for a final shot at the national title.

After recording 236 tackles, nine sacks and seven interceptions the last two seasons, Laurinaitis headlines a unit that led the nation in both total defense and scoring defense last fall but once again got gashed in the BCS national championship game. Ohio State started off strong in Week 1, keeping Youngstown State behind the midfield stripe until the game's final play. A much larger test looms Sept. 13 against USC as Ohio State tries to improve its national reputation against an elite opponent.

Laurinaitis, the preseason Big Ten Defensive Player of the year, sounded off on Wells, the defense and dealing with expectations in an interview this week.

Cont'd ...
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schwab;1247892; said:
I'm sure I saw him recover a fumble also. Who it was credited to, I can't be sure, probably Hines, but I stand firm that JL had the ball when it mattered.
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+1

Hines had the ball temporarily and was still on his feet when he lost the handle. JL covered it on the ground and handed it to the official.
 
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DaddyBigBucks;1248761; said:
+1

Hines had the ball temporarily and was still on his feet when he lost the handle. JL covered it on the ground and handed it to the official.
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Yep, after watching the game on replay I was able to watch that play quite a few times. Hines originally recovered it, but he dropped the ball being tackled which should count as a fumble (I believe). JL covered it up on the ground and he should have the 1 fumble recovery stat in his column. You can see this in the replays they showed.
 
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