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Five things to know about Ohio State football graduate assistant James Laurinaitis

Colin Gay
The Columbus Dispatch

James Laurinaitis is back with Ohio State football.

After one season on Marcus Freeman's coaching staff at Notre Dame, Laurinaitis, Ohio State coach Ryan Day announced, would join the Buckeyes' coaching staff as a graduate assistant coach that will work with the team's linebackers.

James Laurinaitis returns to Ohio State:Ohio State football adds former Buckeye linebacker James Laurinaitis as grad assistant

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Here's what you need to know about the former two-time Ohio State team captain.

James Laurinaitis is one of two of Ohio State's coaches from the Buckeyes' 2005 recruiting class

James Laurinaitis runs the defense against Akron in 2007.

Laurinaitis was not a highly-rated linebacker in Ohio State's 2005 recruiting class.

A three-star out of Minneapolis, Laurinaitis, who also had offers from UCLA, Minnesota and Notre Dame, was the No. 554 player and No. 27 inside linebacker in the 2005 recruiting class. He was behind both five-star cornerback Jamario O'Neal and four-star defensive lineman Doug Worthington in Ohio State's class.

According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Ohio State had the No. 74 class in the country despite securing players like Laurinaitis, cornerback-turned-safety Malcolm Jenkins and wide receiver Brian Hartline, who is now Ohio State's offensive coordinator.

James Laurinaitis is one of eight three-time All-Americans in Ohio State football history

Ohio State's James Laurinaitis tackles Ohio's Boo Jackson during the 2nd half of their game against Ohio at Ohio Stadium September 6, 2008.

Laurinaitis is one of eight Ohio State players to be a three-time All-American selection along with running back Chic Harley, defensive end Wesley Fesler, half back Lew Hinchman, defensive end Merle Wendt, running back Archie Griffin, punter Tom Skladany and safety Mike Doss.

Laurinaitis is also the most recent Ohio State player to take home the Butkus Award for the best linebacker in college football, which he received after a 121-tackle season where he recorded 8.5 tackles-for-loss and five sacks with two interceptions in 2007.

Laurinaitis is also one of two Ohio State players to have won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy given to the top defensive player in college football, winning the award as a sophomore in 2006 before defensive end Chase Young won the award in 2019.

Laurinaitis also won the Lott IMPACT Trophy and the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award as a senior in 2008.

James Laurinaitis never lost to Michigan

Ohio State's Vernon Gholston, 50, James Laurinaitis, 33, and John Kerr, 52, corral Michigan's Mike Hart, 20, keeping him from a fourth down conversion in the first half of their game at the Ohio Stadium, November 18, 2006.

Finishing his collegiate career with four Big Ten championships and two BCS national championship game appearances, Laurinaitis also has four wins against Michigan on his Ohio State resume.

From 2005-09, Laurinaitis and the Buckeyes earned four wins against the Wolverines by a combined score of 123-70, including a 42-7 win as a senior.

James Laurinaitis spent eight seasons in the NFL

Nov 15, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams middle linebacker James Laurinaitis (55) is introduced to the crowd prior to the start of a game between the St. Louis Rams and the Chicago Bears at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports

After being selected in the second round of the 2009 NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams, Laurinaitis played eight seasons in the NFL.

In seven seasons with the Rams, he became the team's all-time leading tackler with 852 tackles, leading the NFL in solo tackles with 117 in 2012.

Laurinaitis played in five games for the New Orleans Saints in 2016 before a quadriceps injury kept him sidelined for the majority of what proved to be his final NFL season.

James Laurinaitis started his coaching career at Notre Dame

Sep 3, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Former Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis, now a coach with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, watches as his team warms up prior to the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports

Laurinaitis started his coaching career under Freeman, a former teammate, in 2022 at Notre Dame.

Laurinaitis was a defensive graduate assistant and the assistant linebackers coach for a Notre Dame defense that allowed 23 points and 330.1 yards per game.

Ohio State football schedule 2023

Here's what Ohio State's 2023 football schedule looks like.

  • Sept. 2: Ohio State vs. Indiana, Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
  • Sept. 9: Ohio State vs. Youngstown State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
  • Sept. 16: Ohio State vs. Western Kentucky, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
  • Sept. 23: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana
  • Oct. 7: Ohio State vs. Maryland, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
  • Oct. 14: Ohio State vs. Purdue, Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana
  • Oct. 21: Ohio State vs. Penn State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
  • Oct. 28: Ohio State vs. Wisconsin, Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Nov. 4: Ohio State vs. Rutgers, SHI Stadium, Piscataway, New Jersey
  • Nov. 11: Ohio State vs. Michigan State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio 
  • Nov. 18: Ohio State vs. Minnesota, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
  • Nov. 25: Ohio State vs. Michigan, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

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