One has been suspended, the other has now resigned
The Columbus Dispatch has confirmed what many felt was going to be the end result of the recent scandal and allegations aimed at the Ohio State football program. Head coach Jim Tressel has resigned.
The Dispatch received a copy of the letter that was sent to Ohio State trustees that read:
“I write to let you know that later this morning we will be announcing the resignation of Jim Tressel as head coach of the University’s football program. As you all know, I appointed a special committee to analyze and provide advice to me regarding issues attendant to our football program. In consultation with the senior leadership of the University and the senior leadership of the Board, I have been actively reviewing the matter and have accepted Coach Tressel’s resignation.”
Luke Fickell will wear the headphones, and presumably not a vest, this season in place of Tressel. Will the job be his after this year, probably not. The newly retired Urban Meyer is probably first on athletic director Gene Smith’s list of long-term replacements. Meyer is from Ohio and began his coaching career at Ohio State. The problem is that the NCAA is sure to hand down stiff penalties, similar to the ones given to USC after the situation with Reggie Bush, if not more severe. This means the Buckeyes will probably be playing for nothing for the next 2-3 seasons as bowl games will almost surely be stripped from the school. Scholarships will also probably be reduced making the job not appear too enticing to a coach with the pedigree of Meyer.
Jim Tressel was Ohio State’s 22nd head football coach and leaves with an overall record of 106-22. He won seven Big Ten championships, one national championship (2002), was 6-4 in bowl games, and 5-3 in BCS games. His nine wins against rival Michigan is second all time to legendary Woody Hayes and he’s the only Buckeye coach to reel off seven straight victories against the maize & blue. One has to wonder how many of these wins will still be credited to Tressel after the NCAA has completed its investigation and sanctions are handed out.
A once proud program has been knocked off it’s pedestal this Memorial Day morning. This day is set aside to remember those members of the United States armed forces that lost their lives fighting for our freedom. Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee tried to add the name James Patrick Tressel to the remembrance list, fitting since he seemed to be his biggest supporter. Nice try, but I won’t take your bait Mr. Gee. Tressel brought this on himself and gets no sympathy from this writer.
The football program at “THE Ohio State University” has today been reduced to the football program at “the Ohio State University”.
Details regarding the violations by Ohio State can be found in our posts earlier this month and back in March.
So I’m questioning, if USC had to give up 30 Scholarships for utilizing 1 player they didn’t know was ineligible, so for using 5-6 plays the staff knew were not eligible OSU will need to get 8years probation and lose 1/2 of its scholarships. Keep in mind the NCAA has to be fair. Personally I do not believe they will need to, just a bit food for thought.
Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It if truth be told was a leisure account it. Look complicated to more introduced agreeable from you! By the way, how could we keep up a correspondence?