Thread: LB James Laurinaitis (St. Louis Rams)
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Old 10-27-2006, 07:18 AM
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Link

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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