Six years ago. Memorial Day weekend.
In America, this weekend is for honoring our bravest citizens and immigrants who have died while in service of our military (it can also be quite a tough weekend for veterans and survivors - if you're in a dark place, there are people who want to listen to you: 1-800-273-8255)
Unfortunately, Memorial Day weekend has recently become a news dump destination for college football transgressions. Last year Baylor fired Art Briles while the NCAA dropped its 52-page Notice of Allegations against Ole Miss. Four years ago Notre Dame announced Everett Golson would be suspended for the 2013 season for "poor academic judgment."
And six years ago (six? really?) Jim Tressel "resigned" from Ohio State amidst a scandal that eventually produced two NCAA investigations, a full program shake-up and a one-year postseason ban. The 2011 Buckeyes were expected to be favorites for a seventh-straight outright or shared B1G championship. After being crippled by scandal, they...fell short.
The six seasons that led to Tressel's departure in 2011 create an interesting comparison against the six seasons that have transpired since. Urban Meyer is 61-6 over his five seasons. But the overall production over each period is alarmingly even:
| TRESSEL | 2005-10 | 2011-16 | FICK/MEYER |
|---|---|---|---|
| WINS | 66 | 67 | WINS |
| LOSSES | 11 | 13 | LOSSES |
| vs. MICHIGAN | 6-0 | 5-1 | vs. MICHIGAN |
| B1G TITLES | 4 | 1 | B1G TITLES |
| BCS | 3-3 | 3-2 | BCS/CFP/NY6 |
| vs. TOP TEN | 5-7 | 7-3 | vs. TOP TEN |
| vs. TOP 25 | 21-9 | 17-7 | vs. TOP 25 |
| vs. B1G | 43-5 | 42-7 | vs. B1G |
| B1G COY | 0 | 0 | B1G COY |
This is obviously not a straight Tressel-Meyer comparison with 2011 included - however, that 2011 season was absolutely necessary for Meyer to end up as Ohio State's head coach. The timing was serendipitous, and here we are.
Tressel is a retired Hall of Fame coach, while Meyer is in Rockne territory. The past six years have delivered one more win, two more losses, three fewer B1G titles (the shared 2005 and 2008 titles under Tressel are credited as half a title - the Buckeyes finished 1st in each of his final six seasons) and of course, that 2014 title march that is without compare. It certainly feels like a gilded age.
Ohio State basically ceded one historic run for another.
But the six seasons that preceded the change produced one additional national championship game appearance and that unrelenting conference title run, albeit entirely within the BCS era and during a time without Leaders, Legends, Rutgers, Maryland or Nebraska to compete with.
Ohio State basically ceded one historic run for another. Alabama, if you're curious, has three more national titles, two more wins and two more seasons vacated by the NCAA over that same stretch.
As for Ohio State, you could debate which span is superior, but one thing is certain: there are very few schools - namely the one mentioned above - that would trade what the Buckeyes have been able to pull off over the past dozen seasons, scandal and all.
