Former Ohio State Football player to join Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame

Apparently, Notre Dame is turning into a hotbed for former Ohio State football players to coach. Marcus Freeman is the new head coach up there, and now he is taking another former Ohio State linebacker with him to join his new staff. It’s very interesting how these things are happening.

Former Ohio State All-American linebacker James Laurinaitis is joining Freeman’s staff according to multiple reports. Laurinaitis doesn’t have any previous coaching experience. He is currently a local radio host in Columbus for 97.1 the Fan, as well as a color commentator on Big Ten Network. This is an extremely curious hire.

Adding Laurinaitis to the staff doesn’t make a ton of sense to me. He doesn’t have any background in coaching. He was never even a GA. To hire someone on the staff who doesn’t have any recruiting connections to anyone or any coaching experience is surprising.

Perhaps Freeman is just trying to surround himself with people he knows, regardless of previous experience. Either way, now two former Buckeyes will be visiting the Shoe in early September for the first game of the season and will try to beat their alma mater.

As a Buckeye fan, I don’t really have any strong reaction to this. I don’t have an issue with Laurinaitis starting a coaching career. From what I’ve been told, Ryan Day didn’t offer him anything on his staff so I have no issue with him following Freeman.

I also don’t think this is a move that Ohio State football fans should be that worried about. Early on, Laurinaitis won’t have much of an impact on Notre Dame. He still needs to establish connections with recruits and learn some coaching techniques.

It’s already been an odd start to the offseason. It’s about to get weirder too once Saturday is passed.