Ohio State All-American LB James Laurinaitis Joins Buckeyes Coaching Staff

Ohio State Legend James Laurinaitis is returning to his old stomping grounds.

James Laurinaitis is returning to the Ohio State Buckeyes' sidelines this upcoming year.  

According to reports, Laurinaitis will join Ohio State's staff as a defensive graduate assistant for the 2023 college football season. Laurinaitis previously spent the 2022 season as a graduate assistant at Notre Dame, working under his former Ohio State teammate Marcus Freeman.

One of the most decorated defensive players in Buckeyes' history, Laurinaitis was an icon for the program during the mid-2000s. A three-year starter, Laurinaitis is one of only eight players in team history to earn All-America honors three times. He also was a two-time captain and won the Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation's top defensive player and the Butkus Award as the top linebacker in college football.

"I am thrilled for our program and especially for our current and future Buckeyes who will benefit so much from having James on staff," coach Ryan Day said in a statement. "James is a terrific young man with wisdom as a Buckeye and experience as an eight-year NFL veteran. He is going to be a very important part of our program going forward."

Following his time in Columbus, Laurinaitis was drafted in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He would go on to become the then-St.Louis Rams' all-time leading tackler with 852 stops in seven seasons. He then would play one more year with New Orleans Saints before retiring following the 2016 season. 

Laurinaitis is expected to work closely with the Ohio State linebackers under second-year coordinator Jim Knowles. Joining the program after leading Oklahoma State to one of its best seasons in 2021, Knowles served as the defensive player-caller and the team's linebackers coach. 

In his first season, Knowles helped the Buckeyes finish with top-notch numbers en route to an 11-2 record. Ohio State ranked 14th in total yards (321.5 yards per game), 24th in scoring (21 points per game), 26th against the run (121.1 yards per game), 26th in coverage (200.5 yards per game) and 36th in yards per play (5.18). 

Laurinaitis and the Buckeyes will face Freeman and the Irish on Sept. 23 at Notre Dame Stadium. 

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