It was announced today Jim Tressel, currently residing in the president's office at Youngstown State, will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. (As if you need another reason to watch Monday night's title game: Jim Tressel and the 2015 class will be honored during the coin toss.)
Although Tressel is being inducted for his work at Youngstown State (four national championships), Tressel continues a streak since 1947 of every full-time Ohio State headcoach landing in the Halll of Fame.
Tressel, winner of five national championships, won more games than any FCS coach in the 1990s, and took the Penguins to the playoffs 10 times. He also coached NFF National Scholar-Athlete, Anthony Pannuzio.
Tressel's all-time record is a sterling 229-79-2 (74.2%), according to a release from the Hall of Fame. His Ohio State record, according to sports-reference.com, stands at a mighty 106-22. (94-21 if you ask the haters at the NCAA.) Along with winning a national title at Ohio State, Jim Tressel led the Buckeyes to 10 bowl appearances and turned a recruiting afterthought (Troy Smith) into a Heisman Trophy winner.
| YEAR | RECORD | WIN % | BOWL/OUTCOmE | AP PRE | AP HIGH | AP FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 7-5 | .583 | Outback - Loss | 23 | 21 | NR |
| 2002 | 14-0 | 1.000 | BCS Championship - Win | 13 | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 | 11-2 | .846 | Fiesta - Win | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 2004 | 8-4 | .667 | Alamo - Win | 9 | 7 | 20 |
| 2005 | 10-2 | .883 | Fiesta - Win | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| 2006 | 12-1 | .923 | BCS Championship - Loss | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2007 | 11-2 | .846 | BCS Championship - Loss | 11 | 1 | 5 |
| 2008 | 10-3 | .769 | Fiesta Bowl - Loss | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| 2009 | 11-2 | .846 | Rose Bowl - Win | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| 2010 | 12-1 | .923 | Sugar Bowl - Win | 2 | 1 | 5 |
(via)
Sadly, there appears to still be some salt out there on Tressel's name, even in 2015:
Jim Tressel gets into the College Football Hall of Fame before his show cause penalty has expired. They couldnt wait a few more years?
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) January 9, 2015
Congratulations to one of the sport's good guys, Jim Tressel, on an honor that's overdue and well-deserved.
The full field of inductees — including The Boz — can be found here.
