Ring of Famer Jim Tressel reflects on time with Buckeyes
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When Jim Tressel left Youngstown State to take over at Ohio State in 2001, he was just hoping to restore the Buckeyes as a national contender.
He did that and much more.
Tressel joined Paul Brown and Woody Hayes Saturday as the third OSU coach enshrined in Ohio Stadium's Ring of Honor. He officially took his place during a ceremony at the end of the first quarter of the Buckeyes 56-3 victory over Ball State.
Tressel's plaque in the southeast corner of C-Deck at the Horseshoe was covered in a banner that looked like one of his signature sweater vests before it was unveiled.
"Probably never dreamed that this day would happen. You don't think about those kinds of things," Tressel said at halftime. "I'm excited what our part of this century has been. It's pretty cool. I think that we've won more games in this century than anyone else. We're proud to have begun that part of the decade and century. But like anything else, you just get there and you try to do the best you can.
"But I think this version of me is pretty proud of the version from 25 years ago."
Tressel was the first person added to the Ring of Honor since 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith in 2014.
Tressel led the Buckeyes to the 2002 national championship along with six Big Ten titles from 2001-10. His on-field record was 106-22, including 9-1 against Michigan. Tressel also guided Ohio State to BCS title game appearances in 2006 and '07.
At YSU, Tressel was 135-57-2 with four Football Championship Subdivision national championships and six trips to the final.
"When you look at the success that Jim Tressel had here, the record, the rivalry, the national championship game, it speaks for itself. But to me, it's the impact he made on so many people," Ohio State coach Ryan Day said last week. "When you talk to his players and his coaches, when you look at the impact he's made on the state, that's the most significant."
While Tressel was proud to see many of his former players make the trip for the ceremony, he reflected a lot on what the honor would have meant to his father, Lee Tressel, who passed away in 1981. Lee Tressel coached at Baldwin-Wallace for 23 seasons, which included the NCAA Division III championship in 1978.
"My dad was a guy that wanted to be a Buckeye and ended up having to serve our country instead (as a Navy lieutenant in World War II)," he said. "He ran the run-and-shoot as a coach, so he probably would've thought I didn't throw it enough, but I think he'd be real proud of the fact that his whole thing in coaching was how much he cared for his players and what they became. I'm sure he's proud that maybe some of his dreams came to fruition."
Warren native Maurice Clarett, the star running back on the 2002 team, was the honorary victory bell ringer before the game. After being estranged from the program and serving nearly four years in prison for robbery and weapons charges, Clarett has turned his life around and is part of Day's player advisory team.
"Reese looked pretty strong. I wish he was as strong back when he played as he was pulling that bell. But I love that kid and so proud of what he's done and the impact he's making for youth and children in the business world," Tressel said.
Tressel has less than four months remaining as Ohio's Lieutenant Governor and is counting down the days until he returns to private life. After his coaching career ended, Tressel found a second life as an administrator at the University of Akron before becoming YSU's president in 2023. He was in the top spot for 8 1/2 years before retiring. … or so he thought.
Tressel's retirement lasted one year before Governor Mike Dewine asked him to serve as Lieutenant Governor.
"I know when we left here in 2011, my mentor told me, 'Your greatest impact is ahead of you if you believe it is.' And that challenged me to try to figure out what impact we could make and turned out to be as a president and lieutenant governor," Tressel said.
When asked what his plans are starting in January, Tressel said: "Go see all my former players and helping with businesses and my former coaches. I had the largest non-paid consulting firm in America (the one year he was retired) and that was fun.