For the third year in a row, the Ohio State football program held a fun Olympics competition between the players and the staff, and it went down to the end as they almost always do.
After several competitions that involved three-point shooting, pickleball, and other sports, the staff and players were tied at 4-4 heading into a soccer penalty-kicking contest that would determine the winner of the 2026 June Olympics. We’re quite sure that head coach Ryan Day lured former All-American linebacker James Laurinaitis to Columbus for his coaching ability, but it might have swung the balance in this annual event, because he came up huge to give the staff a 5-4 overall victory.
So, how did the “little animal” do it? According to video shared to the Ohio State Football X account, it appears as though Laurinaitis made several key saves as the staff’s goalkeeper to deny the players a chance at taking home the title.
While it looks like quarterback Julian Sayin had the players pumped up with a stirring speech, it was no match for the athleticism and competitive drive of Laurinaitis. With the victory, the staff now enjoys a 2-1 all-time record in June Olympics vs. the players.
Chalk one up for the old guys.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State assistant James Laurinaitis gives staff June Olympics win
Reporting by Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire | USA TODAY Network
