Michael Lanaris Stepping Up

Linebacker Michael Lanaris continues to play well. (Picture: www.toledobalde.com)

The Bulls defense has done a solid job this season, getting the stops they needed against ND and harassing Ball State all evening long. Mark Snyder has his unit playing well and the linebacking group, especially the middle linebacker, have done an excellent job.

Junior Michael Lanaris (6-0 235-pounds) has become a stabilizing force in the center of the defense, anchoring a veteran linebacking group, and become the most productive tackler for the Bulls so far this season. He continues to play at a high level and is producing for the Bulls.

Coming out of the Fall camps, Lanaris was listed as the reserve linebacker behind Sam Barrington at the MIKE position. However, when the season started, Barrington moved over to the SAM position, allowing the hard hitting Lanaris to take over in the center (Barrington took over in front of Cliett, a freshman).

So far, Lanaris leads the team with 18 tackles, one hit on the quarterback, one pass break-up, and one interception (big time interception in red zone vs. Notre Dame).

Lanaris continues to play at a high level in the middle of the field, stopping the run and covering the tight ends and underneath routes well. He always seems to be right next to the ball and his motor never stops on a play.

In the Ball State game, when Holtz took out most of the starters and put in the second team defense, Lanaris remained on the field to get the plays and lead the unit in example. It shows his ability and the faith the coaching staff have in him to get the job done.

Lanaris continues to play at a high level and will continue to pile up the big tackle numbers as the linebacking corps continues to lead the way.