LB James Laurinaitis (St. Louis Rams)

[buckeyeboy]

Originally Posted by TheStoicPaisano

http://www.gopsusports.com/pressrele...m?anncid=11186

If there's any justice in this world, Laurinaitis will win it....and Poz will come in 3rd.

[DaddyBigBucks]

Not bad for a guy that was added to the Watch List AFTER the second game of the season.

[osugrad21]

Official Site

2006 Butkus Award Finalists Announced

Sophomore James Laurinaitis is one of three finalists

Nov. 9, 2006
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. In alphabetical order the finalists are:
James Laurinaitis - Sophomore - Ohio State University
Paul Posluszny - Senior - Penn State University
Patrick Willis - Senior - University of Mississippi

The winner will be announced on the Home Depot College Football Awards at Walt Disney World Resort on Thursday, December 7, 2006 in Lake Buena Vista, FL from 7-9 PM on ESPN. The Butkus Award? will be presented to the winner by the award's namesake former University of Illinois and Chicago Bear NFL Hall of Fame member, Dick Butkus.
If 2005 Butkus Award? winner Paul Posluszny of Penn State repeats in 2006, he would become just the second linebacker to win the Butkus Award? twice in DACO's 22-year history. Posluszny would tie with Brian Bosworth of Oklahoma who won the inaugural Butkus Award? in 1985 and 1986 respectively. Posluszny joins Chris Spielman of Ohio State, Percy Snow of Michigan State, Rocky Calmus of Oklahoma, E. J. Henderson of Maryland, Teddy Lehman of Oklahoma and Mike Stonebreaker of Notre Dame as the only players to repeat as finalists.
James Laurinaitis is just the third sophomore to be named a Butkus Award? finalist. Laurinaitis joins fellow Ohio State linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer and Bosworth of Oklahoma whom both won the Butkus Award? as sophomores. Patrick Willis in the first Butkus Award? finalist from the state of Mississippi and just the third finalist representing the SEC in the last seven years (DeMeco Ryans of Alabama in 2005 and Raynoch Thompson of Tennessee in 1999.)



The independent Butkus Award? Selection Committee for the 2006 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: 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 California); 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 (1997-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 and support of one of the greatest middle linebackers in football history, Dick Butkus.

[sandgk]

Well done James!

[Crystal76]

Outstanding. Way to go James!

[Padraig]

Very nice indeed, and well deserved.

[OregonBuckeye]

You da' man, Little Animal!

[BuckTwenty]

I will be very surprised if Willis doesn't win it this year, but enough cannot be said about James' superior play this year... and he's ONLY A SOPHOMORE!!

Congradulations James! Looking forward to watching you put the hurt on the skunk weasels here in a couple weeks

[iambrutus]

Originally Posted by BuckTwenty

he's ONLY A SOPHOMORE!!

i just get so excited everytime i think of that

[Moose]

Congrats to James on getting into the three finalist for the Butkus award. What an animal!

[Oneshot]

Willis is a great LB, no doubt. He is real competition.

As for "Puz"... Man... Sometimes I just can't understand voters!

[buckeyebri]

Originally Posted by Oneshot

As for "Puz"... Man... Sometimes I just can't understand voters!

I agree, Puz has looked slow and lost in the PSU games I have watched this year....

[osugrad21]

DDN

Laurinaitis is Butkus finalist


By Doug Harris
Staff Writer

Friday, November 10, 2006

COLUMBUS ? The committee for the Butkus Award doesn't make a habit of including sophomores on its list of finalists, but James Laurinaitis' numbers were just too hard to ignore.
He became the second Ohio State player in as many years and just the third sophomore overall to survive the final cut for the award, which goes to the nation's outstanding linebacker. He is fifth in the Big Ten with 86 tackles and tied for first in interceptions with five. He also has four sacks and 8.5 tackles for losses.
Penn State senior Paul Posluszny, who won it last year, and Mississippi senior Patrick Willis were the other finalists, and the winner will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 7.
"The thing about recognition is normally it has to do with production, and he's had excellent production," OSU coach Jim Tressel said. "You get noticed when you produce.
"But he'll be the first to tell you a lot of that is because he's got some guys upfront creating problems for people, and he's got some guys behind him getting everyone lined up."
The only other sophomores to be named finalists ? OSU's Andy Katzenmoyer (1997) and Oklahoma's Brian Bosworth ('85) ? both took home the award.
Former Buckeye A.J. Hawk was a finalist last year. Posluszny is trying to become the first two-time winner since Bosworth (1985-86).

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Laurinaitis named Butkus finalist

Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis on Thursday became one of only three sophomores ever named a finalist for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's best linebacker.
Penn State senior Paul Posluszny, who is bidding to become the second back-to-back winner in 22 years, and Mississippi senior Patrick Willis are the other finalists.
A first-year starter, Laurinaitis stands fifth in the Big Ten in tackles with 86 and is tied for 15th in the nation with five interceptions.
He joins OSU's Andy Katzenmoyer and Oklahoma's Brian Bosworth, who both won as sophomores. The award will be presented Dec. 7 in Orlando.

[osugrad21]

CPD

OHIO STATE NOTEBOOK



Big season earns Laurinaitis national notice



Friday, November 10, 2006

Columbus -- For the second time this week, there was some surprising Ohio State news regarding a national award on Thursday. Sophomore linebacker James Laurinaitis, who wasn't even on the initial watch list of 65 players, was named one of three finalists for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's top linebacker.
He's joined by Mississippi senior Patrick Willis and last year's winner, Penn State senior Paul Posluszny. Oklahoma's Brian Bosworth, in 1985, and Ohio State's Andy Katzenmoyer, in 1997, are the only other sophomores to be Butkus finalists, and both won the award. Katzenmoyer, Chris Spielman (twice) and A.J. Hawk are the only other Buckeyes to be finalists. Posluszny was a surprise winner over Hawk last year, and now maybe Laurinaitis can make up for it.
"It's a great honor to be part of the list, and to be mentioned in the same sentence as these other two guys is amazing," Laurinaitis said.
Willis is fifth in the country in tackles per game, with 112 in 10 games, and has one sack and no interceptions. Posluszny is 22nd in tackles, with 93 in 10 games, and has two sacks and no interceptions. Laurinaitis is 47th in tackles, with 86 in 10 games, and has four sacks and five interceptions.
"Recognition normally has a lot to do with production, and he has excellent production," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "And the great thing about awards recently is that people who are being favored for them are from teams who have produced and I think that's healthy."
Playing for the No. 1 team in the country had to help the shocked Antonio Smith, the former walk-on at cornerback who wasn't even expected to hold his starting job through the preseason. He was named one of 11 semifinalists for the Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back, on Tuesday.
He learned the news from a friend who called while Smith was watching film.
"I said, Stop playing,' " Smith said. "I hadn't looked at any awards or things like that. I'm just trying to win a couple more ballgames, and for that to happen, I'm just thankful. I was completely surprised."
The nomination of Quinn Pitcock as one of four finalists for the Lombardi Award, given to the best offensive lineman, defensive lineman or linebacker, was less surprising. Hawk won that award last season. While there's no dominant player like Hawk on this defense, Laurinaitis and Pitcock certainly have a chance to win their awards.
Then there's the Heisman Trophy. The players invited to the Heisman ceremony will be announced on Dec. 6, with the ceremony on Dec. 9. There will be at least one Buckeye there.