ATH: With Honor Day 2: James Laurinaitis, Big Ten Medal of Honor Finalist

I just found this on http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/

Watch
Audio Slideshow: Football's James Laurinaitis Spoke to Columbus Youth






A week-long series on Ohio State's Big Ten Medal of Honor finalists continues today with a profile of football linebacker James Laurinaitis. A second-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Laurinaitis, who earned his degree in March, was a standout in the classroom, winning the Lowe's Senior Class Award



James Laurinaitis is the most decorated linebacker in Ohio State history. A three-year consensus All-American, he won the 2008 Lowe’s Senior Class Award and the Lott Trophy as college football’s IMPACT Player of the Year which emphasizes integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity in a college defender. He was voted Big Ten defensive player of the year during both his junior and senior campaigns and won the 2006 Nagurski Award as the nation’s best defensive player and the Butkus Award in 2007 as the top linebacker, all major awards and the most ever won by a Buckeye.



Laurinaitis was part of four Big Ten championship teams and four BCS bowls, twice playing in the national title game, setting a BCS record with 18 tackles in the national championship game against LSU. Laurinaitis never missed a game during his Buckeye career. He played in all 51 games during the last four seasons, started all 39 games the last three seasons, led Ohio State in tackles three straight years and finished his career seventh on Ohio State’s career tackle chart with 375, finishing just behind Buckeye greats such as Pepper Johnson, Chris Spielman and A.J. Hawk.



Part of the first Ohio State team to beat Michigan five consecutive years, he passed up the NFL after his junior season to return and complete his degree and collegiate career at Ohio State. A two-time team captain and a March honors graduate in communication, the Hamel, Minnesota, product was drafted by the NFL's St. Louis Rams with the third pick in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft.



The Big Ten Conference Medal of HonorIn 1914 the Conference established a Medal of Honor to be awarded annually at each member institution to a student in the graduating class. An additional award for the top female was instituted in 1982. Chosen by the Athletic Council, the winners of this most prestigious award are the male and female senior student-athletes who have attained the greatest proficiency in both academics and athletics. This honor includes a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship which can be used at an institution of the recipient’s choice.



Ohio State’s men’s and women’s Big Ten Medal of Honor recipients will be announced at the 2009 OSU Scholar-Athlete Dinner at the Columbus Convention Center Wednesday, May 20.

Boeckman takes NFL rookie camp one blitz at a time

This article is from Saturday May 2nd. I found it on the DaytonDailyNews.com

~Former Ohio State quarterback Boeckman takes NFL rookie camp one blitz at a time~

CINCINNATI — Todd Boeckman didn’t have time to stop and smell the roses. The Ohio State quarterback from St. Henry High School was too busy adjusting to the terminology and playbook.

“They’re putting plays in left and right and heads are spinning,” he said on the first day of Bengals rookie minicamp. “But it’s fun. There’s always going to be nerves when you first get out there. But once you get in the flow, you feel like you’re more at home.”

Boeckman is sharing snaps with Billy Farris of Colorado State. Neither threw an interception.

“It’s a great indoctrination for them,” offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said. “We’re throwing a lot at them. We’re moving along quickly. It’s very challenging for them, and they’re doing a good job with it.”

Todd Boeckman: On The Road To Cincinnati- It's not over

Just because Todd didn't get drafted doesn't mean his career is over. I was recently doing some web searching trying to find out if any teams signed him or not and I came across this article which I found on Bleacher Report.com.

Here's the link--

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/163617-todd-boeckman-on-the-road-to-cincinnati


*I also read on the Columbus Dispatch that Buffalo might be interested in Todd too.

Todd Boeckman Pro Day Results

Sorry it took me so long to post this artical. The Pro Day took place on Friday, March 13th at Ohio State. Here is some info on how Todd did.


QB Todd Boeckman (6-4 3/4, 240 pounds) ran 40-yard dash times of 4.78 and 4.75 on AstroTurf. He had a 31-inch vertical and a 9-foot, 3-inch broad jump with a 4.39 short shuttle and a 7.08 three-cone drill.


*Also an interview from www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com which you can find at the link below--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGDOpc0dl6s

Boeckman built to endure a pounding

This is an old yet good article.



Boeckman built to endure a pounding


Columbus -- Troy Smith made plays with his legs last year. Todd Boeckman is doing it with his abs.


A year after the 6-0, 215-pound Troy Smith quarterbacked the Buckeyes into the national title game and won the Heisman Trophy with regular displays of spectacular shimmies, creating a highlight reel by turning broken plays into big plays, Boeckman's signature move during a 3-0 start is getting smoked.

While Troy Smith evaded pressure, the 6-5, 243-pound Boeckman absorbs it.

Among his moments to remember entering Game 4 Saturday against Northwestern -- his second completion of the year, a 41-yard deep ball to Brian Ro biskie just before a Youngstown State defensive tackle folded him in half; and a first-down pass to Brian Hartline against Washington last Saturday before taking a blow from a free blitzer who came in untouched.

"Toughness is a big part of being a quarterback," Boeckman said. "You've got to stand there and make those plays and make the guys believe in you."

As the offensive line adjusts to a quarterback they know will stay in his place, the Buckeyes are believing Boeckman, who has completed 45 of 71 passes (63.4 percent) for 574 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions, can do the job his way

Despite Jim Tressel's pointed assertion that Boeckman runs a faster 40 time than Troy Smith, Todd is not Troy.

"I'm not the shiftiest person," Boeckman said. "As you probably noticed, it takes a little bit for me to get going. I'm not that guy who's going to shake and do stuff like that."

That is obvious to all, even Tim Boeckman, father and high school coach of the new OSU quarterback.


"Todd's not a runner," Tim Boeckman said. "We know that. But everybody wanted another Troy Smith, and I think that made it difficult going into the season. Troy was. . . . wow. Todd's his own quarterback."


That means using his size as a weapon, or at least as a shield. Boeckman said he remembers his welcome-to-the-position moment, during a scrimmage as a high school freshman when an avalanche of defensive linemen knocked the wind out of him after a screen pass. As he progressed at St. Henry High, his father said his stature allowed him to face down defenders, because so many of them were smaller than he was. Now that the defenders have grown, Boeckman still stands his ground.

"He made that one throw to Hartline after getting popped pretty hard," fullback Dionte Johnson said, "and it showed down the line he'll be able to make good throws and that he's poised and calm back there. But we have to keep the hits off him

Johnson gets angry when his quarterback takes a shot, and he said it's not uncommon for the blocker who let in the tackler to apologize to Boeckman after the film is graded and the error is apparent. Sometimes they offer to buy dinner to make up for it -- though no one has paid up yet.

"Hopefully something is coming here soon," Boeckman said with a laugh.

His best bet is to protect himself with the quarterback workout put together by OSU director of football performance Eric Lichter, who tailors exercise programs for each position.

A key for the quarterbacks is a move, instead of a typical bench press, that involves balancing on their backs on an exercise ball and using two dumbbells in their lift. That works their shoulders separately, and the unsteadiness of the ball forces the quarterbacks to constantly tighten their abdominal muscles to keep from falling off.

With television cameras rolling during an interview this week, Boeckman declined an offer to show off his six-pack

"It's not that good," he said with a smile. "I don't want to embarrass myself."

Lichter proudly mentioned that Ohio State's three scholarship quarterbacks average 239.7 pounds, almost 10 pounds heavier than the average Buckeye linebacker. He said those core muscles in a quarterback's trunk are crucial for getting snap and power on a throw when firmly planted, and also for creating the wall for a charging linebacker to smack in to.

"Todd's got the body for it," Lichter said. "He's almost 245 pounds and he's 14 percent body fat, so it's not like he's heavy. But he's big and strong, and when you're that big, you should stand in there and take hits because you're not just going to do down like a pile of bricks."

Even if he does go down, if the pass gets off and gets caught, that's a tradeoff Boeckman is willing to make. The pass to Hartline against the Huskies set up a field goal that put the Buckeyes up, 3-0. But plays like that are remembered for more than just the score.

"That was a good sign, when they're really coming steaming and no one's blocking them," Tressel said. "He was waiting for the route to break open and he stood tall. Not every guy will do that."

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Two of the stalwarts of the Ohio State offense, seniors Ben Person and Todd Boeckman are both students and fans of the gridiron game. Today, in another of our multi-part series with various members of the Ohio State team, the two share some thoughts on the 2008-09 bowl season.

BCS bowl game match-up you are most interested in watching?

Ben: The championship game and the Rose Bowl.

Todd: The Rose Bowl.

Non-BCS game(s) that have the potential to be fun to watch?

Ben: The other games with Big Ten teams.

Todd: Every game with a Big Ten team.

Entering the bowl season there were two unbeaten BCS teams: Utah and Boise State. Who wins had they been matched?

Ben: Utah.

Todd: Too close to tell.

Oklahoma or Florida?

Ben: Florida.

Todd: It’s going to be a great game. It could go either way.

What moments or plays or personalities stand out from the first two Ohio State vs. Texas games?

Ben: In 2005, how loud the stadium was when it erupted on A.J. Hawk’s interception.

Todd: Those were both exciting games. The atmosphere in both stadiums was unreal.

Is there any Southwestern food that you can’t wait to dig into while in Arizona?

Ben: A Fatburger.

Todd: I will probably stick with the same things I eat at home.

What is the University of Phoenix Stadium like?

Ben: A very interesting place – it’s amazing how they can slide the field out of the stadium. Todd: Big, nice and great to play in.

Catching Up With Todd Boeckman

I found this video today and thought I'd post it. Its from last year but its a good video to watch anyways!