LB James Laurinaitis (official thread)

[MililaniBuckeye]

Originally Posted by LordJeffBuck

...by the end of the season, JL will be better than Schlegel (and Anthony was a pretty good MLB).

I'd say he's about there right now...

[msj2487]

Has this been noticed before?

[akronbuck]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...the-week_x.htm

[lvbuckeye]

Originally Posted by osugrad21

...but that is not his play. Anything the mike gives out there is simply gravy.

that's what i keep saying... evidently people didn't read that article i linked from football outsiders...

[ScriptOhio]

James definitely played like a "chip off the old block", err I mean "animal".

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

OSU NOTEBOOK
Laurinaitis garners national attention
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis is now known nationwide.
Proof came yesterday when the sophomore was named the Walter Camp national defensive player of the week, as chosen by administrators of the Camp foundation.
He also won the Big Ten player of the week award for his play in Saturday night?s 24-7 win at defending national champion Texas.
Laurinaitis, of Hamel, Minn., caused two fumbles, the first at the OSU 1-yard line late in the first quarter. Defensive back Donald Washington scooped it and returned the ball to the 50, setting up the Buckeyes? first touchdown.
Laurinaitis intercepted Texas quarterback Colt McCoy on the first possession of the second half. He returned it 25 yards to set up the first collegiate field goal made by OSU?s redshirtfreshman kicker Aaron Pettrey, which pushed the OSU lead to 17-7.
Trapasso takes a bow

OSU sophomore punter A.J. Trapasso of Pickerington was named the Big Ten special teams player of the week based on his 50.8-yard average, the third-best single-game performance in school history. It came on six punts, two of which he dropped inside the Texas 20-yard line.
Trapasso leads the league with a 49.7-yard average (he would be No. 2 nationally, but he is one attempt short of the required minimum of eight to be considered). He had a long kick of 59 yards at Texas. His shortest was 39, but it was downed at the Texas 6.
Ohio State nominated quarterback Troy Smith for league offensive player of the week after his 269-yard, two TD-pass, no-interception performance. Smith, who won the award after the season-opening win over Northern Illinois, was beaten out by receiver Matt Trannon of Michigan State. Trannon had a school-record 14 catches for 151 yards and two TDs, and he passed for another TD in the Spartans? win over Eastern Michigan.
Penn State at 3:30 p . m .

The Big Ten announced yesterday that the Buckeyes? league opener Sept. 23 will start at 3:30 p.m. and will be televised by ABC. The kickoff against Cincinnati on Saturday is just past noon, while the game at Iowa on Sept. 30 will be an 8 p.m. start on either ABC or ESPN.
tmay@dispatch.com

[akronbuck]

Link


player of the week

Ohio State's Laurinaitis tackles Player of the Week honor
Updated 9/12/2006 12:01 PM ET

By Will Shilling, AP James Laurinaitis led an inexperienced Ohio State defense to an impressive showing against Texas.

Each week during the season, readers can select their pick for USA TODAY's Player of the Week. Choices will be made available on Sunday night. The fan vote, open through noon ET on Tuesday, will comprise one-third of the award with one vote also going to college football editor Erick Smith and Gannett columnist Mike Lopresti. USA TODAY will name its winner Tuesday.
Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis was the ring leader of an impressive defensive showing against No. 2 Texas to earn this week's USA TODAY's Player of the Week honor. The sophomore had a game-high 13 tackles, forced two fumbles and intercepted one pass as the top-ranked Buckeyes won 24-7 in Austin. Laurinitis was selected for the award by Gannett News Service columnist Mike Lopresti and college football editor Erick Smith. Fan voting sided with Akron running back Dennis Kennedy.
THIS WEEK'S WINNER
•James Laurinaitis— The Ohio State linebacker had a game-high 13 tackles in the top-ranked Buckeyes' 24-7 win at No. 2 Texas. Laurinaitis also forced two fumbles and intercepted a Colt McCoy pass to set up an Ohio field goal.
THIS WEEK'S OTHER NOMINEES
•Ricky Santos— The New Hampshire quarterback accounted for all of his team's five touchdowns in the Division I-AA squad's 34-17 upset at Northwestern. Santos threw for 208 yards and two scores to wide receiver David Ball, and then added three touchdowns on the ground.
•James Laurinaitis— The Ohio State linebacker had a game-high 13 tackles in the top-ranked Buckeyes' 24-7 win at No. 2 Texas. Laurinaitis also forced two fumbles and intercepted a Colt McCoy pass to set up an Ohio field goal.
•Ian Johnson— The Boise State running back scored five touchdowns in the Broncos 42-14 rout of Oregon State on Thursday night. Johnson collected 238 yards rushing for Boise State's prolific offense, which has averaged 44 points over its first two games.
•Matt Trannon— The Michigan State receiver caught two touchdown passes and threw another in the Spartans' 52-20 victory over Eastern Michigan. Trannon set a school record with 14 catches for 145 yards and then hit A.J. Jimmerson with a 35-yard touchdown pass – one of two Spartans wide receivers to throw touchdown passes.
•Dennis Kennedy— The Akron running back scored all three touchdowns in the Zips' 20-17 upset at N.C. State. Kennedy collected 121 yards on the ground, and scored the winning touchdown as time expired. He also threw a 24-yard pass to Luke Getsy that set up his first touchdown.
FIVE WHO JUST MISSED THE CUT
•Rudy Carpenter— The Arizona State quarterback threw five touchdown passes in the Sun Devils' 52-21 victory over Nevada. Carpenter amassed 334 passing yards in a win that pushed Arizona State into the USA TODAY Top 25 at No. 23.
•Chris Leak— The Florida quarterback threw for four touchdowns and a career-high 352 yards in the seventh-ranked Gators' 42-0 rout of Central Florida. Leak led Florida to its first shutout victory since 2001.
•Brady Quinn— The Notre Dame quarterback threw three touchdown passes and no interceptions leading the fifth-ranked Fighting Irish to a 41-17 win over 19th-ranked Penn State. Quinn connected on 25 of 36 pass attempts for 288 yards and buried the Nittany Lions beneath a 20-0 deficit by halftime.
•Kory Sheets— The Purdue running back scored four touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime, in the Boilermakers' 38-31 victory over Miami (Ohio). Sheet's four scores all came on the ground, including his 11-yard jaunt