The Ohio State football program has a long list of excellent players. They have done a better job than anyone else in the country of producing NFL talent and great collegiate players. That manifests itself every weekend when the Buckeyes dominate on the field, and former ones dominate on Sunday.
One of the best players in Ohio State football history is James Laurinaitis. The current linebackers coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes has one of the best resumes in college football history, including the fact that he played in back-to-back national championship games.
Laurinaitis was one of the best players that the Buckeyes had in the 2000s. He was a dominant force on the field, and now he has been properly recognized for that play. Lauriniatis has officially been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, an honor he deeply deserves.
Former Ohio State football player James Laurinaitis earns Hall of Fame honors
Laurinaitis' resume is lengthy as a player. He won both the Lott Trophy and the Butkus Award in consecutive seasons. He also won the Bronko Nagurski Award before winning either of those trophies. He won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons, too.
The Buckeyes love what he was able to do on the field. He was a three-time All-American, including a unanimous All-American in 2007. Adding to his resume, he won a national championship as a coach last season. That doesn't count for his Hall of Fame case, of course. Still, it's worth noting.
This is something that Laurinaitis can use in recruiting moving forward. Who better to learn the linebacker position from than a college football Hall of Fame player? He will definitely use this as a recruiting tool for the next few years, as he should. It's an accomplishment worth being proud of.
Ohio State will certainly celebrate this in the 2026 season in some way.