Former Ohio State Linebacker James Laurinaitis Expected To Join Notre Dame Coaching Staff

Laurinaitis will be reunited with head coach Marcus Freeman, his teammate in Columbus from 2005-08.

According to a report from Buckeye Scoop, former Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis is expected to join the support staff at Notre Dame, where he’ll be reunited with head coach and former teammate Marcus Freeman.

Laurinaitis recorded 375 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and nine interceptions during his four-year career with the Buckeyes from 2005-08. He was a three-time All-American, two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, recipient of the Lott Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Butkus Award.

Together, Laurinaitis and Freeman led the Buckeyes to four straight Big Ten titles and two national championship appearances. They were both selected in the 2009 NFL Draft, but the former enjoyed the more notable professional career.

Laurinaitis played seven seasons for the then-St. Louis Rams, finishing his tenure as the franchise’s all-time leader in tackles with 854. He then played one season with the New Orleans Saints before announcing his retirement in 2017.

In the years since, Laurinaitis has served as a college football analyst for the Big Ten Network and radio show host in Columbus. This will be his first experience in a coaching role, which means he'll likely be an analyst or graduate assistant for the Fighting Irish – the latter depending on eligibility rules.

Notre Dame opens the 2022 season with a trip to Ohio State on Sept. 3, making it a homecoming for Laurinaitis and Freeman in their first games in their new roles.

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