Brian Lainhart

Class:
Redshirt
Hometown:
Cincinnati, Ohio
High School:
Colerain

After a breakout season that saw him earn second-team All-MAC honors in 2008, Brian Lainhart returns once again as the starter at free safety…is a coach on the field and the staff is counting on him to lead the defensive unit.

Career

Lainhart’s 15 career interceptions rank third in school history (three shy of Lou Harris’ record) and are the most among active BCS players…he enters 2010 having forced 16 turnovers in the last 19 games (13 interceptions & three fumbles; also causing two other fumbles that were recovered by the opposition).

2009 Junior Season

Garnered first-team All-MAC honors after leading the conference with seven interceptions (tied for third in school history and fourth nationally in 2009) and ranking second with four forced fumbles…became the first Golden Flash defensive back to earn first team honors since Jamie Howell in 1988…one of 11 players named to ESPN.com’s 2009 All-Non-BCS Team…87 tackles were second on the team, while his 7.2 stops per game ranked 17th in the MAC…recorded an interception in each of Kent State’s first four games…ranked fifth in the MAC with 11 passes defended…had 11 tackles (nine solo), an interception and two forced fumbles against Iowa State Sept. 19 en route to earning MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors…matched his career-high with 14 stops Oct. 3 at Baylor…recorded 11 tackes and a forced fumble at Eastern Michigan Oct. 17…started all 12 games for the second year in a row…also served as the personal protector on the punt team.

2008 Sophomore Season

Emerged as one of conference’s top defensive players, earning second-team All-MAC honors…a ballhawk who started all 12 games at free safety…was a first-team All-MAC selection by Phil Steele’s Magazine…garnered team’s Outstanding Defensive Back Award…his six interceptions led the MAC and were tied for seventh in the nation…the total was also fourth in Kent State’s single-season annals…seventh in the MAC and tied for 39th nationally with 8.8 tackles per game…his 106 stops were second-most on team…tied for third in MAC with three forced fumbles…11 passes defended were most on team and tied for third most in MAC…had a four game stretch (Oct. 4-Nov. 1) where he tallied 35 tackles, six interceptions, four pass breakups and a recovered fumble that he forced…earned MAC East Defensive Player of the Week honors after picking off three first-half passes and compiling eight tackles on Oct. 4 against Akron…garnered MAC East Defensive POW honors for a second time with a 10-tackle, one-interception, one-forced fumble, one-fumble recovery, three-passes broken up performance at Miami Oct. 25…totaled 11 tackles at Bowling Green Nov. 1…had a career-best 14 stops (eight solo) at Louisiana-Lafayette Sept. 20…made 12 tackles on Aug. 30 versus Boston College…earned the Gerald & Victoria Read Award at the conclusion of spring practice as the player who exemplifies hard work and dedication beyond the call of duty.

2007 Redshirt Freshman Season

Started the first six games, and eight overall, while appearing in 10 games at his defensive back position…missed all or parts of three games with neck and shoulder injuries…had two interceptions on the year, returning the first 50 yards to set up a touchdown at Iowa State Aug. 30…the second one came Sept. 22 at Akron, which he returned for 21 yards…recorded 63 tackles, fifth best on the team, with 30 of them solo, as well as 1.0 TFL for two yards…had two fumble recoveries and three pass break-ups…made a season-high nine stops against the Zips…tallied eight tackles Oct. 6 against Miami…recorded a season-best five solo stops at Temple Nov. 17.

2006 Freshman Season

Was redshirted.

Prior to Kent State

Twice earned all-league and all-city honors at Colerain High School…helped team to 2004 Ohio State Championship…team had a composite record of 37-3 the last three years…made 62 tackles, intercepted four passes and broke up 12 as a senior for Cardinals…also named to all-district team in 2005…lettered twice in football and three times in track and field…was coached by Kerry Coombs…played at Colerain with current teammate Cobrani Mixon.

Personal

Born Dec. 4, 1987…son of Allen and Tina Lainhart…majoring in general studies…last name is pronounced LANE-hart.