LB James Laurinaitis (St. Louis Rams)

[lvbuckeye]

Originally Posted by TheStoicPaisano

But Trannon THREW A TD PASS~!!!1

Didn't you hear?

Blah.

HE PLAYS BASKETBALL TOO!!!

[CleveBucks]

Originally Posted by buckalum01

Dryden beat me to it. Although I thought Pittman recovered it for Texas.

The ball went out of bounds and stayed with Texas.

[osugrad21]

DDN

Archdeacon: Ohio State's Laurinaitis wrestles with success


By Tom Archdeacon
Dayton Daily News

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

The Undertaker called.
Not the guy handling the remains of the Texas Longhorns, the pro wrestler.
Kurt Angle, another WWE star, called with congratulations, too.
And then there were all those wrestling fans who messaged his dad ? Joe Laurinaitis ? better known as Animal.
With his mohawk, painted face, dog collar choker and spiked shoulder pads over comic book hero muscles, Joe was part of The Road Warriors, arguably the most successful tag team in pro wrestling history.
"As one fan just wrote," Joe said by phone, "'Animal, you created another Animal!'"
So true.
OSU middle linebacker James Laurinaitis was an animal Saturday night in Austin. In just his fourth game playing substantial minutes for the Bucks, the 19-year-old sophomore had 13 tackles, intercepted a pass and forced two fumbles, one near the OSU goal line that was the game's turning point.
The performance made him the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Week and the Football Writers Association of America's Bronco Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week.
Because OSU had lost nine defensive starters ? including all three linebackers ? some critics thought the new unit might wilt in an amped-up atmosphere far from home.
But Laurinaitis is the son of the Road Warrior. He's prepped for confrontation, not just in football ? he was Minnesota's defensive Mr. Football in high school ? but from his own wrestling experience.
While that includes getting "atta-boy" pats at dad's matches from Hulk Hogan and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, it also draws on his own suplex-and-slam career.
Those moments have come at the OSU indoor practice facility, where he and fellow linebacker Marcus Freeman, the Wayne High grad, sometimes put on a show:
"He usually slams me 'cause I let him and know how to take a fall," Laurinaitis grinned. "If I slammed him, he'd back out quick.
"He always wants me to go through a table, but I tell him, 'No way, not in the middle of the season. I don't want to splinter it, (ruin) a kidney and be out for the season.' "
Freeman said the rough-housing's a natural: "When you've got the son of Animal on the team, you like to mess with him. And if James wanted to, he could be a pro wrestler. He has the persona."
Laurinaitis ? whose older brother Joe is stationed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base after two Iraq tours ? admitted there've been times he's gone home to Minnesota and put on his dad's wrestling tights and pads and "joked around." But at OSU, he's wrapped up in school ? "he just had a 4.0," his dad said ? and football.
While Laurinaitis said he and his defensive mates "haven't arrived yet," they made converts Saturday. That may include Bucks' quarterback Troy Smith, whom he gave a goal line body slam last season.
"It was during practice," he said. "He had a black jersey on ? you're not supposed to hit black jerseys ? but I remembered how the day before (an OSU running back) had run over one of our defensive players who'd backed off (a black jersey.)
"The coaches yelled at the defensive player. So I'm thinking, 'Do I hit Troy or do I stop and get yelled at?' I hit him at the 1. The defensive players loved it, but the offense hated me.
"The next day Troy ? he's a joker ? wrote on the board in the locker room:
"I hate The Road Warriors.' "
Now it's the Longhorns ? thanks to the Son of Animal ? who may be saying that same thing.

[osugrad21]

ABJ

OSU linebacker has perfectionism in veins

Laurinaitis family doles out praise, also plants a few barbs after game

By Marla Ridenour

Beacon Journal sportswriter

COLUMBUS - His father, Joe ``Animal'' Laurinaitis of WWE Road Warrior fame, was taking calls from professional wrestling rivals like ``The Undertaker,'' a Texas Longhorns fan whose message ran along the lines of ``Congratulations, but it won't happen again.''
His cell phone was ringing like crazy Saturday night with ``good game'' shouts from predecessors A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel.
He was named national defensive player of the week by the Football Writers Association of America's Bronko Nagurski committee and received the same honor from the Big Ten Conference. His first-quarter forced fumble on Billy Pittman -- when the Texas receiver tried to stretch the ball over the goal line -- was nominated for Pontiac's Game-Changing Performance play of the week on ESPN.com.
But Ohio State sophomore middle linebacker James Laurinaitis was raised by parents who are perfectionists. So after he played the best game of his career in last weekend's 24-7 victory at Texas, they doled out both praise and criticism.
Laurinaitis said the first words out of his dad's mouth at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium were, `` `Heckuva game, way to play on this stage. But that last play, Selvin (Young) kind of juked you.' My mom is like, `Good job, buddy, but you could have had way more tackles.' ''
That was nothing compared with what his sister Jessica, a junior in high school in Minnesota who excels in ice hockey, said after the season opener against Northern Illinois.
``She asked my mom, `Why is James always on his stomach? Does he ever run to the ball?' '' Laurinaitis said.
Joe, a guard and linebacker in junior college, turned down a chance to play for BYU to raise a family. Mother Julie was a swimmer and state prep champion hurdler who later won the state powerlifting championship.
``(My dad) and my mom keep me level-headed,'' Laurinaitis said Tuesday. ``They're definitely perfectionists in their own right, the way they used to train and diet, and they've passed that on to me.
``I always ask my dad what he thinks I can do better. When my sister jokes around with me, sometimes I laugh it off, and sometimes I say, `OK, maybe I really need to work on that.' ''
One would think there would have been little criticism Saturday. Laurinaitis had a career-high 13 tackles (10 solos), one tackle for a loss, two forced fumbles and a third-quarter interception that set up a field goal for a 17-7 lead.
And it was virtually his fourth game as a starter. He replaced Bobby Carpenter last November at Michigan, when Carpenter broke his leg on the first play. In the Fiesta Bowl, the Buckeyes operated in the nickel defense most of the time, relegating him to mainly short-yardage situations.
OSU coach Jim Tressel said Laurinatis got 30 to 40 snaps against Northern Illinois, when he had three tackles.
``I thought he really grew in his confidence,'' Tressel said of the Texas game. ``He's going to end up being a very good player for us. He has a lot of pride in the tradition of linebackers at Ohio State and he understands he's got a lot more work to do to move in that direction. But he studies the film hard, he trains in the weight room hard, he knows the game, he's a bright player.''
Laurinaitis said the starting linebackers graded out in the 80 percent range and they're shooting for 90 percent to 95 percent.
Asked to rate his own performance, he said, ``Some good, some bad. Obviously, there were some big plays in there. I was fortunate to be in some right places at the right times. I think I did better consistently than I did against Northern Illinois. There will still be plays where you look at it and you're like, `What was I thinking?'
``No one has a perfect game ever. You have to realize that sometimes. Part of being a perfectionist is you've got to focus on some things you didn't do so well.''
He believes being around professional wrestling since he was a child might have prepared him for the big stage.
``Yeah, my mom always says that. She told me I was good with interviews in high school because my dad was always good in front of the camera,'' he said.
While some think Texas was Laurinaitis' breakout game, he's not ready to go that far.
``We'll see how the season plays out,'' he said. ``It was a good game, but there's a lot of stuff I can improve on. You look at the guys from last year and you realize you're not on that level yet.''

[BrianO]

I re-watched the game last night on my DVR, this guy could be something special.

[cincibuck]

Ok, Ok. I'm starting to believe in this defense. I've been spoiled by so much great linebacker play the last few decades that I was sure we were in deep, deep doo doo after the departure of what had to be the greatest trio in the school's football history. So when NIU's back ran up 200+ yards in total offense and when Texas backs repeatedly got into the secondary I questioned what was going on.

Acknowledging that Garrett was a very special back and that Texas was, after all, Texas... here are some questions I have:

Does the defense look spotty at times? I realize they've been playing a ton of kids. I think the kids replacing the corners and safety have played extremely well... better than I hoped for. But I just don't see the kind of push against the rush that we had the last two years. I think I've seen a lot of guys not able to slip blocks and a real failure to wrap guys up and stop them for short gains. And the overall reaction of all the linebackers to get to the ball seems slower.

Have I been spoiled by three years of Hawk, Carp and Schlegel?
Are we playing against offenses we didn't see the last couple of years?
Am I blind?

[Bleed S & G]

Originally Posted by osugrad21

Joe, a guard and linebacker in junior college, turned down a chance to play for BYU to raise a family. Mother Julie was a swimmer and state prep champion hurdler who later won the state powerlifting championship.

thats awesome genes

[Dryden]

Originally Posted by Bleed S & G

thats awesome genes

Not only could his dad beat up his friends' dads, but his mom could beat up their dads too.

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by cincibuck

But I just don't see the kind of push against the rush that we had the last two years. I think I've seen a lot of guys not able to slip blocks and a real failure to wrap guys up and stop them for short gains

Well the push was there against NIU since we had about 6 sacks and about 6 TFL's. The push would be more considered coming from the inside of the line(DT's) which isnt where teams have been exploiting us. They have been exploting us more to the outside which is where we are used to having guys like AJ, Bobby Donte, Salley, and Doss scrape of the end of the line and make the play. This year the safeties are playing back more to avoid the big play and the lb's are still a half a step slow.

As for the failure to wrap up, not sure on that, I think a lot of that has to do with not exactally being in the position enough to make the tackle. I actually thing that getting the guy down has been a stregth, but keep in mind that there is a difference between a strong form tackle(knocking guy back or taking him down on the spot) and getting the guy down(catching and letting him far forward for a couple yards.

Also keep in mind that we did go against one of the best O-lines in the country and two of the best rbs in the country.

[DaddyBigBucks]

Originally Posted by Dryden

Not only could his dad beat up his friends' dads, but his mom could beat up their dads too.

Could you imagine some road raging moron starting something; then these three jump out of the car at him. And then "mom" beats the stupid out of him. I've never been a pro wrestling fan, but I'd pay to see that.

[Dryden]

Originally Posted by crazybuckfan40

Also keep in mind that we did go against one of the best O-lines in the country and two of the best rbs in the country.

NIU's O-Line isn't as talented man-for-man as what OSU played against with Texas or will see in conference play, but NIU plays fundamentally sound assignment football and does a lot of things in their perimeter game that OSU won't see again until Minnesota comes to town. Texas was #2 in the country last year in rushing offense and NIU was #16.

Both were excellent tests for OSU's rebuilt run defense, and the back seven has seven more games to gain experience and learn from their mistakes before Minnesota brings the next real significant challenge in the running game. I think the first two weeks have made it pretty evident that Iowa is suffering (Tate or no Tate) with having all new WRs while Penn State is struggling with Morelli making the typical rookie mistakes and seeing a huge drop off on their lines and in their secondary.

Minnesota will be a good test, as will the ball distribution talents of Michigan State if the Spartans can put everything together for four quarters. After the defensive performances the first two games though, I'm far more confident with this team than I was two weeks ago. I don't think the defense will be seriously challenged for at least another month when they travel to East Lansing.

[Oneshot]

His mother certainly doesn't look like a powerlifter...

I don't think the problem is with missing tackles... It's with our linebackers being blocked out of the play like they're cornerbacks. I dont know what it's about, but how many times were our LBs pancaked on stretch run plays vs Texas??

[Bleed S & G]

Originally Posted by Oneshot

His mother certainly doesn't look like a powerlifter...

I don't think the problem is with missing tackles... It's with our linebackers being blocked out of the play like they're cornerbacks. I dont know what it's about, but how many times were our LBs pancaked on stretch run plays vs Texas??

same against NIU, alot of LBs on their backs i thought

[lvbuckeye]

Originally Posted by Oneshot

His mother certainly doesn't look like a powerlifter...

I don't think the problem is with missing tackles... It's with our linebackers being blocked out of the play like they're cornerbacks. I dont know what it's about, but how many times were our LBs pancaked on stretch run plays vs Texas??

to answer that, think back to Darius Walker's first TD in the Fiesta. what happened? where was AJ Hawk? the answer was that ND's left guard got to the second level, gave AJ a shove, and knocked him out of the play...

so far, the DEs haven't been keeping contain very well on the edge (though they showed improvement against UT as the game progressed), and too many OL are getting to the second level and taking out the LBs...

it's true that the LBs need to learn to scrape better, and need to learn how to shed blocks, but at the same time, the DL has to do a better job of keeping the OL from getting their hats on the backers...

[Bucks07]

Originally Posted by Oneshot

His mother certainly doesn't look like a powerlifter...

I don't think the problem is with missing tackles... It's with our linebackers being blocked out of the play like they're cornerbacks. I dont know what it's about, but how many times were our LBs pancaked on stretch run plays vs Texas??

There is some problem with missing tackles though. I havent gotten a chance to re-watch the DVR of the game yet, so maybe this sticks out in my mind more than it actually occured but I felt like there were many times when the LB's came in, hit the ball carrier and immediately went to their knees allowing the Longhorns to run through the tackles.