
08-30-2007, 06:03 AM
|
 |
Head Coach
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 10,792
Points: 499,182.35
Bank: 0.00
Total Points: 499,182.35
|
|
Quote:
OSU's born leader: Laurinaitis so impressed teammates, they voted him the first junior captain in Tressel era
Thursday, August 30, 2007 3:42 AM
By Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Being named a major award winner in his sophomore football season can change a man. So can seeing his face on the covers of major preseason magazines, being named a Playboy All-American, the preseason Big Ten defensive player of the year and being elected captain of his team as a junior.
But what's different about Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis is that none of that seems to make much of a dent in his demeanor.
In fact, "I think he became more humble," junior cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. "Usually when people get a lot of hype, their egos blow up. But last year I think he handled it pretty well, and he began to get hungry, and he stayed humble through the whole process and became more of a leader. His confidence went up, as well."
It's why his teammates stuffed the ballot box with Laurinaitis votes last week, making him the first junior captain in the seven-year Jim Tressel era. There will be another defensive captain named from week to week, but Laurinaitis will be the constant.
It was offensive coordinator Jim Bollman who best told Laurinaitis what that means.
"He shook my hand, said congratulations," Laurinaitis said, "and then he said, 'The way you've been acting is what got you to be captain, so don't change. You don't have to change anything when you get the title. You got the title because of the way you were.'
"And I am perfectly ready for it. I am ready to accept that challenge of leading the crew."
|
BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : OSU's born leader: Laurinaitis so impressed teammates, they voted him the first junior captain in Tressel era
|