Posted on 02/10/2025 8:42:08 AM PST by buckalfa
The football coach who led Ohio State to its first national championship in more than 30 years has been picked to be Ohio's next lieutenant governor. Jim Tressel was also the president of Youngstown State and a vice-president at the University of Akron after his coaching career ended following a scandal involving players trading memorabilia for tattoos.
On Monday Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tressel's appointment to the position, which became available after he moved Jon Husted to Vice President JD Vance's U.S. Senate seat. Tressel described being selected as "a humbling moment" but admitted this is a new role for him.
"I don't know this world. Fortunately I believe in our governor and what he believes in. And my first job is to go to school on that," Tressel said.
Tressel coached at the University of Akron, Miami University and Ohio State before being hired by Youngstown State. He led YSU's football team to four national championships before he came back to Ohio State in 2001 to replace John Cooper. The Buckeyes' win in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl was the first national championship for Ohio State since 1968. Tressel resigned in 2011 after the memorabilia-for-tattoos scandal broke and Ohio State had to vacate its wins for the 2010 season.
Tressel served as a vice president at the University of Akron and as Youngstown State president until February 2023.
Tressel's appointment comes as Republican lawmakers are poised to pass Senate Bill 1, a measure that conservatives say will fight back against what they view as liberal indoctrination on public university campuses. The bill would ban nearly all diversity, equity and inclusion programs and training and would ban faculty strikes, among other provisions.
The Ohio House and Senate must confirm Tressel as lieutenant governor.
I’m in Ohio and this doesn’t make me happy at all.....
In what way? I cannot think of any Ohioans, let alone GOP memenbers( whose first pick for LTG would be Tressel. He was barely tolerated as coach at The OSU.
It’s just another feel good do nothing tactic by deWhine. No doubt Tressel is good guy well liked and respected but the Ohio GOP doesn’t need that.
Tuberville is coming up all aces!
Patiently waiting for Vivek to get on that first rung of the ladder.
I suppose coaching gives you one or two qualifications for a leadership position but I doubt for LT Gov.
Naming Vivek as LTG would have been a lot more prescient. Then he’d have a bit of incumbency to overcome any residual RINO racists.
Vivek would not play 2nd fiddle to anything. Not his style.
Really? Are you perhaps thinking of John Cooper? Any coach at OSU (I graduated in '76, pre the "The" fashion) who consistently beats Michigan is adored. Those who consistently lose, despite otherwise winning records, are on very thin ice. Tressel was in the former category till the NCAA went after a few of his players for trading "gold pants" charms for free tattoos. He's very well regarded to this day and is often invited back to address the players.
This may not be the disaster that it seems. Tressel is 72 years old. That is awfully old to start a new career let alone to be very successful at the highest levels.
Whoever was moved into this position would have a leg up on the competition for the Governor spot in 2 years when DeWhine is done. I have a hard time seeing Tressel do what it would take to run a successful campaign for Governor.
Putting him into this spot is only denying someone else the juice that comes with the position and the ability to use that juice when they challenge Vivek for the Governor position in 2026.
I think it is more telling about the lack of depth on the GOP bench in Ohio. That and I doubt Ramaswamy would take the job if offered .
This falls under “huh?”
I’m guessing he has a vested interest in the job.
ISWYDT
Rick Santorum being unavailable, and from the wrong state.
Woody Hayes was not available. Tressel is the third-winningest coast of The Ohio State University’s football team.
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