LB James Laurinaitis (St. Louis Rams)

[OregonBuckeye]

And I doubt Laurinaitis really gives a [censored]. I'm sure he just wants to salvage the season at this point.

[RB07OSU]

Originally Posted by 1926Buckeyes

Agree, although I'm afraid to say that he might not win the Butkus this year. Maulaluga is going to have a lot of hype going his way with how good USC could be. Also, James still hasn't recorded a sack or even a TFL in the first three games. THat doesn't help.

I've noticed that James hasn't been making any plays behind the line or getting any pressure on the QB. Yes, he is making tackles but they are usually 5 yards down the field. I think a lot of the problem is the dline though...but I agree. it's Mauluga's award to lose at this point and at this very early point, I would say he deserves it. As far as JL's leadership, it will be hard to replace and I still love his attitude.

[NJ-Buckeye]

don't discount the lack of productivity from the defensive line to date... they live up to preseason hype... and JL roams free... they lose the battles up front and their opposing line is on our LBs

[osugrad21]

Link

Laurinaitis keeps Buckeyes focused

Wayzata grad puts off the NFL for a year to play another season for Ohio State
By Marcus R. Fuller
mfuller@pioneerpress.com
Article Last Updated: 09/25/2008 12:55:28 AM CDT

Instead of images of himself in an NFL uniform, James Laurinaitis lay in bed at night in his Columbus, Ohio, apartment in January picturing No. 33 on the field for another year as the star middle linebacker for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
He remembered the teammates who had been with him when his college career started in 2005 as a freshman playing on special teams straight out of Wayzata High School. He didn't want to say goodbye yet.
That's why he returned for his senior season. It had little to do with wanting to win a national title after disappointing finishes in the BCS championship games in 2006 and 2007.
"The reason I came back was really not for that," said Laurinaitis, who leads the 14th-ranked Buckeyes (3-1) against

Minnesota (4-0) on Saturday at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. "It was to be with my friends and my teammates, guys that I've gone to battle with my whole career." Having to look those same teammates in the eyes and pick up their morale after an embarrassing 35-3 loss against top-ranked Southern California on Sept. 13 was one of the toughest things he has had to do as a Buckeyes captain, but that didn't make Laurinaitis regret his decision to return.
"I knew that game could have gone either way," said the 6-foot-3, 245-pound native of Hamel. "We knew how hard a road it would be going to the national championship game again. We still have a lot of history to be made. Anything can happen, but we still have a chance to be the first team to win three straight outright (Big Ten Conference) titles." The way the Buckeyes have played the past three weeks is far from that of the team picked as the unanimous favorite to defend its Big Ten title this season. Besides the one-sided loss to the Trojans, Ohio State looked far from invincible even against non-BCS conference teams Ohio University and Troy. Ohio led 7-6 in the first half of a 26-14 loss in Columbus on Sept. 6. The Buckeyes needed a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull away in each game.
Laurinaitis, who leads the Buckeyes with 35 total tackles through four games, knows his team hasn't played close to its potential, but he feels as if it is getting close to having everything come together.

Cont...

[BUCKYLE]

Originally Posted by osugrad21

Link

Although Gophers coach Tim Brewster might have wished for selfish reasons that Ohio State's emotional leader had chosen to leave for the NFL, he respects Laurinaitis' decision to return. "He loves football," Brewster said. "On every snap, he plays with passion and energy. And it's great for college football that he decided to stay in. Probably not as good for me."

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

(2). JAMES LAURINAITIS, LB, OHIO STATE (SENIOR)
Measurements: 6′2″, 240lbs. | T.V.: Big Ten Network, Saturday (12:00PM ET)
A Browns? and Buckeyes? fan dream: for the Browns to draft a superbly talented Ohio State player. Laurinaitis brings back memories of A.J. Hawk and how bad Browns? fans wanted Hawk back in the 2006 Draft. But just like Hawk, it?s not really known whether or not Laurinaitis would be a good fit as a 3-4 ILB. ?The Little Animal? currently plays as the middle linebacker in the Buckeyes 4-3 alignment.

Continued......

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Laurinaitis proved up to the challenge of being a Buckeye

The former Wayzata star believed he could make the grade at Ohio State. He took the chance and became one of the Buckeyes' few two-time captains.

By PATRICK REUSSE, Star Tribune
Last update: September 27, 2008 - 12:09 AM

James Laurinaitis could have taken the easy way out. He could have stuck with a verbal commitment to Minnesota and earned starting status in a program where playing at home against Florida Atlantic can be considered a revenge game.
Laurinaitis chose a greater challenge. He took a recruiting visit to Ohio State, and saw what Buckeyes football meant to the masses here, and decided that he could earn playing time when many people in his home state were skeptical.
"I had more than a few coaches and other football people tell me they thought James was making a huge mistake -- that he would get lost among the four- and five-star recruits at Ohio State," Wayzata coach Brad Anderson said.

Continued........

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

The Laurinaitis debate: More cerebral than sensational, linebacker loses the flash war

by Doug Lesmerises Friday October 03, 2008, 10:05 PM


Marvin Fong/The Plain DealerJames Laurinaitis is the unquestioned defensive leader of a two-time national championship finalist, yet his performance has often provoked as much criticism as praise.


Bill Livingston's take: Good, but not great

EDITOR'S NOTE: OSU beat writer Doug Lesmerises and columnist Bill Livingston ponder the accomplishments of Buckeyes linebacker James Laurinaitis. Livingston's opinion can be found here.

This isn't a defense of a player who might wind up as the third three-time All-American in Ohio State football history. Consider it more of a primer on how to appreciate him.
Middle linebacker James Laurinaitis is best understood in slow motion and in totality, not in the smash-bang of the moment. That's not how most football fans watch football or the way most football fans grade linebackers. In-your-face doesn't come with a pause button, and nuance is the poor cousin of nasty.
Maybe that's why I've heard more fans and observers decry Laurinaitis as overrated this season, dismissing his team-best 47 tackles (that's 17 more than any other Buckeye) because they didn't draw blood. Or sloughing off his BCS title game record of 18 tackles against LSU last season because none of them are You Tube highlights.

Continued..........

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

The Laurinaitis debate: A very good player, lacking great moments, says Bill Livingston

by Bill Livingston Friday October 03, 2008, 8:24 PM


EDITOR'S NOTE: OSU beat writer Doug Lesmerises and columnist Bill Livingston ponder the accomplishments of Buckeyes linebacker James Laurinaitis. Lesmerises' opinion can be found here.

How good would James Laurinaitis be at Ohio State without the back story of the war paint and spikes of his pro wrestler father, Joe?
Would he be Tom Cousineau, a top pick of the entire NFL draft? Would he be A.J. Hawk, taken fifth?
How good would he be at a school without Ohio State's recent dominance of the Big Ten?
Would he be Shawn Crable, a fierce force at Michigan? Would he be J Leman last year at Illinois?
The Nagurski Award winner in 2006 as the best defensive player in college football, as well as the Butkus Award winner in 2007 as the game's best linebacker, Lauriniatis, now a senior, ought to have made plays that reverberate like the Victory Bell. But when you put him in perspective, matched against Ohio State's best at a strong position for the Buckeyes historically, those plays are missing.

Continued...........

[RCollett]

I would agree that lil animal is not the most explosive play maker on the field, but he is a leader. I would also argue that we are facing a much more pass happy offense in college football, relative to what many of the other great LB's @ OSU had to face, especially in Big Ten play.

[BB73]

This isn't a defense of a player who might wind up as the third three-time All-American in Ohio State football history.

Wow, that article's not even close to being accurate.

James would become the 8th three-time All-American in football at tOSU if he earns those honors this season.

[scooter1369]

Originally Posted by BB73

Wow, that article's not even close to being accurate.

James would become the 8th three-time All-American in football at tOSU if he earns those honors this season.

But third consensus three time All-American. I know he didn't say.

[1926Buckeyes]

Damn, that second article is a little severe. I understand some points he makes, but JL has really not gotten any help from the DL after 2006 and it shows. He's not able to get TFLs and he has a hard time getting seams to blitz through.

I thought JL would have a monster year and it has been dissapointing so far, but I really, really get tired of people seeing defensive problems and basically blaming JL for all the problems. No pass rush from the DL, Freeman playing very poorly...I mean there's a lot more going on than just Laurinaitis.

And for as much hype as Malaluga gets, he only had 5 tackles against Ohio State, but of course all anyone remembers is the INT return in which he clearly stepped out of bounds. But then where was he against Oregon St.? Didn't really see him get any criticism for his crappy play and lack of big plays there. He'll make some big plays, but hes NEVER had more than 80 tackles or 5 sacks in a season.

I just don't see how you can criticize Laurinaitis for not having enough big plays, but then not say anything about Malaluga's lack of consistency but praise his 3-4 big plays each year.

[Sportsbuck28]

JL as well as the rest of the linebacking core need to shed blocks better... but that can also be traced to the DL if you wanted to because they shouldn't have to shed the blocks of a 340 pounder if the DT's did their jobs.

[Tlangs]

I'd have to say that the signature play of his carreer to this point is the forced fumble against Texas in '06. When you make a play like that in your 3rd game as a starter, that leads to tough expectations to live up to.