Jim Tressel Resigns as Ohio State Football Coach

[Barracuda 629]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jim Tressel, who guided Ohio State to its first national title in 34 years, resigned Monday amid NCAA violations and mounting revelations that sullied the image of one of the country's top football programs.

 

"After meeting with university officials, we agreed that it is in the best interest of Ohio State that I resign as head football coach," Tressel said in a statement released by the university. "The appreciation that (wife) Ellen and I have for the Buckeye Nation is immeasurable."

 

Luke Fickell will be the coach for the 2011 season. He already had been selected to be the interim head coach while Tressel served a five-game suspension.

 

Ohio State spokesman Jim Lynch said he was unaware of any buyout or severance package. He added that Tressel had returned from vacation Sunday night and met with athletic director Gene Smith, who then met with staff. Tressel typed his resignation and submitted it to Smith, he said.

 

Tressel's downfall came with public and media pressure mounting on Ohio State, its board of trustees, President E. Gordon Gee and Smith.

 

"We look forward to refocusing the football program on doing what we do best — representing this extraordinary university and its values on the field, in the classroom, and in life," Smith said in a statement. "We look forward to supporting Luke Fickell in his role as our football coach. We have full confidence in his ability to lead our football program."

 

Tressel and Ohio State were to go before the NCAA's infractions committee Aug. 12 to answer questions about the player violations and why Tressel did not report them. For more than nine months, he denied knowledge of improper benefits to players until confronted by investigators with emails that showed he had known since April 2010.

 

Didn't think he'd actually do it, but he did and he has tarnished both his and the universities reputation.

Edited May 30, 2011 by Barracuda

[rzb+ 367]

:clap:

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Didn't think he'd actually do it, but he did and he has tarnished both his and the universities reputation.

 

I think he acted as a scapegoat for that university he embarrassed. By no means am I excusing what he did... but has more and more crap began coming out, Jim was there to catch the backlash. Now that it is seemingly over, he decides to step down.

 

And then anything that is revealed in the future from this incident will all be swept aside as "That was Tressel's fault". I think tOSU was lucky to have such a loyal and dedicated head football coach.

[FartWaffles 1,857]

I could really see Urban Meyer coming out of his "retirement" to coach at Ohio State.

[Barracuda 629]

I think he acted as a scapegoat for that university he embarrassed. By no means am I excusing what he did... but has more and more crap began coming out, Jim was there to catch the backlash. Now that it is seemingly over, he decides to step down.

 

And then anything that is revealed in the future from this incident will all be swept aside as "That was Tressel's fault". I think tOSU was lucky to have such a loyal and dedicated head football coach.

 

I don't think he was a scapegoat at all. Both the University and Tressel were wrong in what they did. I'm not saying it's his fault, cause it really wasn't but by not handling the situation correctly he tarnished his reputation mostly. Because he decided not to do anything that also makes the school look bad. I'm not really blaming anyone, both of them were wrong. The choice for him was either resign, wait and hope it blows over and accept the consequences or wait and see if you get fired. I respect him for stepping down, that was probably the most honest, honorable thing to do. If anything else comes up about the story I will not blame Tressel, the school should be investigating this matter and they should be the ones bringing out new information.

 

But again, both of them were wrong.

[KeVo 176]

I could really see Urban Meyer coming out of his "retirement" to coach at Ohio State.

I agree with you. It's a big possibility, and I am sure he will receive a phone call from Ohio State, with a fat check in hand, waiting.

 

As for Tressel, he will be able to find work elsewhere, regardless. I have always hated Ohio State, but he always put competitive teams on the field that was in the mix to get to the National Championship game quite often.

[BwareDWare94 723]

Now that there's a few stains on that sweatervest, he had to take it off for good.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

I was willing to support Coach Tressel to the end. This blows. Hard.

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

I think he acted as a scapegoat for that university he embarrassed. By no means am I excusing what he did... but has more and more crap began coming out, Jim was there to catch the backlash. Now that it is seemingly over, he decides to step down.

 

And then anything that is revealed in the future from this incident will all be swept aside as "That was Tressel's fault". I think tOSU was lucky to have such a loyal and dedicated head football coach.

 

"Scapegoat" implies that he was not at fault. Tressel was definitely at fault.

[KeVo 176]

Apparently this has been going on since 2002.

 

 

Ouch!

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

I don't know who we're looking at for replacements, but I'll tell you this: Fuck Urban Meyer. He quit on Florida not once, but twice. I don't want his selfish ass near our team.

[FSUViking 184]

Apparently this has been going on since 2002.

 

 

Ouch!

 

Longer than that. Look at the Sports illustrated timeline. Mr Morality was doing some shady ass shit back at Youngstown State even.

[BUCK3Y3 44]

I miss Tress already. Glad this is pretty much over. Tress took a big bullet for the University IMO. Mainly for Gene Smith who is vying for head of the NCAA. All in all I think it was blown way out of proportion. I think a season long suspension would have been punishment enough for both the players and Tress. It could have been much worse. Glad the car deal blew up. People were really coming at Ohio State from all sides. I'm glad this situation occurred however. Not glad it occurred at Ohio State but glad it occurred none the less because its getting the ball rolling on NCAA reform. Everything that comes out of it may not but good but something has to be.....All in all I'm ready for some Buckeye football. Can't wait to watch Ohio State play in Indy for the first ever Big 10 championship game.

[Anthony 78]

I miss Tress already. Glad this is pretty much over. Tress took a big bullet for the University IMO. Mainly for Gene Smith who is vying for head of the NCAA.

 

Tress was forced out. If he had his way, he'd still be there. That isn't taking a bullet for anyone. He didn't step in front to protect the program from outsiders firing at it. He was struck when his own program fired at him.

[BUCK3Y3 44]

Tress was forced out. If he had his way, he'd still be there. That isn't taking a bullet for anyone. He didn't step in front to protect the program from outsiders firing at it. He was struck when his own program fired at him.

 

 

Yeah he did take a bullet. I believe the AD knew about the situation the entire time. I think Tressel took all the blame to save Ohio State from a far worse punishment. I'm not saying Tressel did nothing wrong. I'm saying other people knew and could have gone down but did not, because Tressel shouldered all the blame.

[Anthony 78]

Yeah he did take a bullet. I believe the AD knew about the situation the entire time. I think Tressel took all the blame to save Ohio State from a far worse punishment. I'm not saying Tressel did nothing wrong. I'm saying other people knew and could have gone down but did not, because Tressel shouldered all the blame.

 

 

Of course he took the blame. There was no other choice. The email from the Department of Justice listing all the players names was sent to him, and not anyone else. He was the one holding the smoking gun. Who else knew, and when they knew, is all speculation. The one thing that is fact is that Tressel knew before anyone else. What Tressel did was put himself above the program, and allowed something simple to grow into a full blown investigation of Ohio State Athletics.

 

When the story first broke publicly in December, taking a bullet would be Tressel admitting then that he knew about it, and the team passing on a bowl game (exhibition). The players would be suspended, the coach reprimanded, and it's the end of the story. Instead, he lied about when he first knew, and followed that with a lie about not knowing who to report to. Why would he do that? Why was that bowl game worth the risk? It's because coaches have incentives in their contracts.

 

• 
   
  
• Bonuses for the team reaching a BCS game
  

• Bonuses for winning the conference
  

• Bonuses for a top 10 finish
  

 

Tressel took a bullet for no one. His original solution was a suspension of the players, beginning the following fall, after he cashed his bonus checks. No punishment for himself, despite a letter from the DOJ in his inbox, and his signature on an official NCAA document (stating that any and all violations had been reported). Each lie was exposed and it buried the program in a deeper hole. He was forced out once it became clear that his actions and history made it impossible for him to be retained as coach. He didn't step forward and stop a bullet aimed at Ohio State. He ducked and allowed the blast to strike the program in the heart.

Edited August 19, 2011 by Anthony