“In 310 days in Ann Arbor Michigan...”
When he took over as Ohio State's head coach, Jim Tressel was tasked with stopping the bleeding against Michigan after John Cooper led the Buckeyes to an abysmal record in the rivalry during his tenure.
And in his first impression could not have been better.
On Jan. 18, 2001, Tressel was introduced to the Buckeye fanbase in a packed St. John Arena during halftime of the Ohio State-Michigan basketball game. He was supposed to simply smile and wave – he was not planning to speak.
But when he was abruptly handed the mic, he delivered a candid, off-the-cuff address that would change the rivalry for the next two decades.
“I can assure you that you will be proud of your young people in the classroom, in the community, and most especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan.”– Jim Tressel
It's become clear throughout the years that Tressel wasn't just pandering with having that "310 days" number ready to go, he sincerely always knew. Like a child counting down until Christmas, Tressel always knew the countdown since the day he took over as Ohio State's head coach. He always knew and was always preparing.
And he was right – 310 days later, we were all especially proud. But it didn't stop with that 26-20 upset victory. What followed that simple, off-the-cuff speech was two decades of dominance – and counting.
Tressel rattled off a 9-1 record in The Game in his 10 years at Ohio State before passing the torch to Urban Meyer, who went a perfect 7-0 in his seven years. Ryan Day has had just one chance to beat Michigan, but he won in lopsided fashion and made it clear he intended to do so again this year.
20 years ago, Tressel made a promise to Buckeye fans everywhere that The Game would be more than just a game. And through two decades and three full-time head coaches, Ohio State is 17-2, compared to the 2-10-1 under Cooper.
Mission accomplished. But now it's up to Day to keep it that way. And then the next guy. And then the next guy. And then the next guy...
