Ohio State Linebacker Greats, Concerns for 2026 LBs, and James Laurinaitis' Future

Ohio State Linebackers: Mount Rushmore, 2026 Outlook & James Laurinaitis’ Future | Time and Change Will Surely ShowTony Gerdeman and Juck Milletti break down Ohio State linebackers by looking at the past, present, and future of the position. They share their personal favorites and build an Ohio State linebacker Mount Rushmore. Tony presents a stats-based linebacker ranking list and they react to overlooked Buckeyes such as Steve Tovar, Matt Wilhelm, and Na'il Diggs. Turning to today’s roster, they assess concern levels after losing Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese, projecting roles and tackle leaders for Payton Pierce, Christian Alliegro, TJ Alford, Riley Pettijohn, Garrett Stover, and younger talent. They close by praising Laurinaitis as an elite recruiter and coach, discussing his long-term career path and head-coaching potential, plus roster implications of the proposed “five for five” rule.00:00 Welcome and Topic Setup00:42 Favorite Buckeye Linebackers03:07 Mount Rushmore Picks04:36 Shazier Spotlight07:19 Laurinaitis Tier Debate11:34 Ranking Formula and Stat List13:44 Hidden Gems and Surprises16:15 Build a Dream Linebacker Unit20:04 Recency Bias and Reese Usage23:29 Present Day Linebacker Outlook24:37 Pierce Allegro and Young Depth27:59 Predicting Team Tackle Leaders29:46 TJ vs Riley Roles31:35 Stover and Young Depth35:03 Trust in Coaching35:51 Portal and Snap Management37:41 Five for Five Fallout40:34 Laurinaitis Recruiting Edge44:43 Future Stars at Linebacker47:43 Laurinaitis Career Path55:32 Head Coach Debate59:37 Wrap Up and Thanks