Who is this guy who keeps beating the M?
Named as the Ohio State Buckeyes 22nd head coach Jan. 18, 2001, Tressel led his first Buckeye squad to a 7-5 record that included a dramatic road win over archrival Michigan in the regular-season finale and a berth in the Outback Bowl.
Last year, Ohio State literally came from out of nowhere to capture the school’s and the Big Ten’s first consensus national title since 1968. The Buckeyes achieved the elusive title by posting a 13-0 regular-season record and then upsetting top-ranked Miami in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 3 in a 31-24 double-overtime thriller.
Tressel was showered with accolades following the 2002 campaign. He was named National Coach of the Year by the America Football Coaches Association (an award he won three times at Division 1-AA Youngstown State), thus becoming the first person in the history of the AFCA to win that honor at two different schools. He also received the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award from the Football Writers Association of America. Additionally, Tressel was selected as the Bobby Dodd and the Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year. He also was the choice of the Touchdown Club of Columbus and the Pigskin Club of Washington D.C. as National Coach of the Year.
Prior to coming to Ohio State, Tressel spent 15 seasons as head coach at Youngstown State. He heads into the 2003 campaign with a lifetime record of 156-62-2 in 17 years. In his two years at Ohio State, he is 21-5 for all games and 13-3 in Big Ten play. The Buckeyes have won 14 consecutive regular-season and nine-straight Big Ten games heading into the upcoming season.
The Buckeye fans have really taken to Tressell and his patented sweater vests, and companies have loaded up fans with memorabilia such as trading cards, bobblehead dolls, signed footballs, photos and other items of interest. Will Tressel make it three in a row or Michigan in 2003? Will Maurice Clarett be back in uniform this year? We’ll see.
