NFL: The Buckeye Brigade

By: RON CLEMENTS (TheTelegraph.com) -

ST. LOUIS — For years, Penn State University has had the reputation of being “Linebacker U.”

Just don’t tell that to the St. Louis Rams.

In what may be a first in NFL history, the Rams boast four linebackers all from the same university — and it isn’t Penn State. Bobby Carpenter, Na’il Diggs, Larry Grant and James Laurinaitis all hail from Ohio State University.

“We realize it’s pretty cool,” Laurinaitis said. “It’s gives us a lot of pride in each other. There’s only one Penn State guy here now, so we get to team up on him a little bit.”

That “one Penn State guy” is rookie Josh Hull, who led the Nittany Lions in tackles last year and was drafted by the Rams in the seventh round.

“Everybody knows what is really the Linebacker U now,” Grant said. “With him being outnumbered, Josh Hull doesn’t have much to say.”

Although younger than both Carpenter and Diggs, Grant is the dean of the Rams linebackers. In his third NFL season, all in St. Louis, Grant was joined by Laurinaitis when the Rams selected him in the second round of the 2009 NFL draft.

This spring the Rams signed Diggs, who had spent the previous 10 years in Carolina and Green Bay.

“I looked at it as a coincidence,” Diggs said. But then they traded for Carpenter to make it an Ohio State quartet.

“You want to say coincidence again, but that’s a lot of linebackers from one school,” Diggs said with a laugh. “It’s fun. I love it.”

Laurinaitis added, “I can’t think of anything like that, but I’m also only 23 years old so my history doesn’t go back that deep. But it is pretty remarkable.

“Even though we span over a good period of time, to have four guys at the same position on the same team is pretty unique,” Laurinaitis said. “But it’s not something we think about every day.

“It’ll show a little more once the college football season comes around and the Buckeyes are playing.”

Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said he didn’t think about having four linebackers from the same school until after the trade for Carpenter was made.

“I’ve never been a part of it and I don’t know that I’ve heard it,” Spagnuolo said. “Does that mean we’ve got to go out and get those little round things that you put on your helmet? The Buckeye leaf? It’s a unique thing. It’s probably a good thing. That’s a credit to Ohio State.

“There’s a little pride there, and they do all work together well. Bobby has fit right in, and Na’il Diggs, he’s a true pro the way he handles himself and the way he plays.”

Calling Carpenter “an extremely smart player” with a great work ethic, Laurinaitis said he learned a lot from Carpenter when their careers overlapped in Columbus. As a true freshman Laurinaitis replaced an injured Carpenter, who was in his senior season.

“I remember it like it was yesterday,” Laurinaitis recalled. “Bobby got hurt on the first play and they were screaming for me. I thought they were joking. But I go on the field and I remember thinking, ‘Just don’t make mistakes. Just do your job.’”

Now it’s Laurinaitis who is showing Carpenter the ropes in St. Louis as the former…….

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