Ryan Day promotes former Ohio State All American James Laurinaitis to linebackers coach.
Former Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis has been promoted to linebackers coach, adding to the Buckeyes’ 2024 coaching
staff, revealed head coach Ryan Day on Thursday. Laurinaitis served as a graduate assistant for the program past season, having previously worked at Notre Dame in 2022.
The former three-time All-American spent eight seasons in the NFL following a four-year playing career with the Buckeyes under
Jim Tressel from 2005-08. Coaching linebackers will be a seamless transition for Laurinaitis, who is one of the best to ever play the position at Ohio State.
After playing minimally as a freshman, he recorded 366 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, and nine interceptions throughout his final
three seasons with the program. He was twice awarded Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and received the Butkus Award and
Bronco Nagurski Trophy before being picked in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft.
Laurinaitis, 37, dabbled in journalism after leaving the NFL at the end of the 2016 season. In 2022, he will join former Ohio State
colleague Marcus Freeman’s support staff at Notre Dame. After one year, he transferred to Ohio State.
Day also revealed that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ contract had been extended until the 2026 season. Additional Ohio State staff notes include:
Tim Walton has been promoted to assistant head coach in addition to his current position as secondary coach.
His contract has been extended to 2026.
Larry Johnson, the associate head coach/defensive line coach, has been signed to a new deal through the 2025 season.Keenan Bailey, tight ends coach, has been extended through the 2025 season.
Tony Johnson has joined the staff as a senior analyst.
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