COLUMBUS James Laurinaitis dips his head ever so slightly, blinks his eyes and almost bows in reverence as the names of his predecessors are reviewed. His body language professes respect, humility even before he speaks a syllable.

As a starting linebacker at Ohio State, Laurinaitis knows he walks on hallowed ground when he stations himself about three yards off the line of scrimmage, poised and upright, eyes locked on the quarterback, peering into his soul.

I ve always felt it was an honor to play here, even before I got the chance to put on the uniform and walk into this stadium, Laurinaitis said.

The tradition, the great linebackers that s why I came to Ohio State. You get chills just thinking about all the players who came before you, the guys who really made Ohio State football what it is.

For a Buckeye linebacker, the idols are many. Andy Katzenmoyer, Chris Spielman, A.J. Hawk, Randy Gradishar, Tom Cousineau, Steve Tovar, Pepper Johnson all distinguished themselves at the position while playing at Ohio State.

That is the formal analysis of history. But Laurinaitis knows their reputations actually were earned through relentless training, preparation, execution and playing the game with a premium on passion.

And each one of those legends registered enough of those seismic, slobber-knocker hits to make their place in OSU lore indelible.

Those guys played the position like it was made for them, like they were born to be great linebackers. I just try and work hard every day to uphold that tradition as best as I can, but it is very humbling to think about that, he said.

Laurinaitis, who will start at middle linebacker for the Buckeyes when they open the season Sept. 1 against Youngstown State, is remarkably humble, especially for a guy who last year received the Nagurski Award as the nation s top defensive player as a sophomore in his first season as a starter.

He is as humble as you can be after leading the team that was ranked No. 1 in the country all last season with 115 tackles and five interceptions.

He is as humble as you can imagine, even after playing the entire Michigan game as a true freshman in 2005, and then starting in the Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame.

Laurinaitis is as humble as you can be when you are the most recognizable player at one of the nation s elite programs, you are an imposing 6-3 and 245 pounds sculpted seemingly from igneous rock, with a buzz haircut, huge biceps and arresting tattoos.

He s as humble as you can be when your dad is a famous professional wrestler, and you are the first football player from the state of Minnesota to play on scholarship at Ohio State since Sid Gillman, more than 70 years ago.

I think James has a great respect for the game, and he s always made the necessary commitment to be certain that he has fully prepared himself to play at a high level, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. He gets people s attention with the way he plays, and he s a real leader for us on the defensive side of the ball.

Laurinaitis directs a defense that will be called on to carry the Buckeyes while their offense with no starters back at any of the skill positions evolves. Not uncharacteristically, linebacker is a bastion of strength for Ohio State.

With James, Marcus Freeman, Larry Grant, Curtis Terry, Ross Homan and Austin Spitler, we ve got some very good people at linebacker, Tressel said. Those guys have played in a lot of games for Ohio State, and besides being a skilled and talented bunch, they also play with a lot of pride, and I think it shows.

Freeman and Grant are expected to start on either side of Laurinaitis, but the first-team All-Big Ten performer said he has confidence in the entire corps.

That depth we have is really our true strength, because we can rotate different guys in and out and always be playing our hardest on every down, Laurinaitis said. We know we need to be a very physical and attacking defense so we can take the pressure off of our offense, and give them more opportunities to score. We re comfortable with that role.

Freeman (6-2, 242) can play all three linebacker positions, and is a redshirt junior who has played in 26 games for the Buckeyes. The Ohioan would likely be a candidate for numerous national honors if he played next to anyone but Laurinaitis.

That s the tradition here. Lots of great players all over the field. So that is nothing but a positive, Freeman said. But nobody s even thinking about the individual stuff. The only way we can reach our goals is collectively, as a team. If we all play well, play up to our potential, then we ll be successful.

Grant took a less traditional route to Ohio State from his native Georgia, first playing in California on the junior college level, where he was the national player of the year in 2005. Grant (6-3, 225) was the first junior college player signed by Tressel at Ohio State.

I learned a lot in my first year here, especially about all of the history and the tradition that is Ohio State, and how many great players have been here over the years, said Grant, who played in 12 games for the Buckeyes last year.

There s a lot of pride around this place. And the linebackers, we re close as a group, the defense is close, and the whole team is like a family. I think our real strength in how close everyone is.

Laurinaitis said he senses a resolve in the Buckeyes preseason camp to go out and defend the Big Ten championship Ohio State won last year, and work their way back into the national title picture.

We lost a ton of guys from that team that was ranked No. 1 for all of last season, so there is a new chemistry at work, and a new identity forming, he said.

Our offense got a lot of attention last year, and it should with so many guys who are now in the pros. But if our reputation this year is as a defensive team, that s fine, as long as we win. That s the way we honor all the great tradition around here, by playing our absolute best, and winning.

The linebackers should be a big part of whatever success the Buckeyes achieve in 2007. They are talented, experienced, modest, and even spiritual. Their pregame rituals stand in stark contrast to the aggressive and violent manner in which they play the game. Laurinaitis likes to read the Bible, Freeman prays and Grant listens to soulful music.

You wouldn t want to be the other team s quarterback, standing there looking across the line at those guys, Ohio State offensive tackle Kirk Barton said. They can be a pretty nasty bunch.

Contact Matt Markey at:mmarkey@theblade.comor 419-724-6510.

First Published August 12, 2007, 9:19 a.m.