For those of you concerned with how Jim Tressel would hold up in his first fall without football in decades, your fears have been relieved. Instead of sitting around, spending his days aimlessly checking his e-mail, Tressel will in fact be involved with the game that has defined him since he was a quarterback for his father’s Baldwin-Wallace teams in the early 1970’s.
On Friday, according to reports from CBS Sports, Tressel was named a consultant for the Indianapolis Colts.
From the CBS report:
The Indianapolis Colts have hired former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel as a game-day consultant.
Coach Jim Caldwell made the announcement during a conference call with reporters Friday.
Caldwell says Tressel will serve primarily as a consultant on replays, which will allow the other coaches to focus on their individual jobs without having to worry about making decisions on replay reviews.
While the job isn’t totally glamorous (and certainly not exactly coaching in the Horseshoe every Saturday), it seems like a good marriage for both parties. According to the report, Caldwell has been looking to fill the role for years, and finally did by calling on his old friend, the embattled ex-Ohio State coach. As for Tresesel, it’s good to see him back involved the sport, after resigning from his post in Columbus in May.
Previously, Tressel had coached at Ohio State since the 2001 season, and at Youngstown State 15 years before that. Over his time, he accumulated 229 wins (although some might likely be redacted when the NCAA is done investigating Ohio State), winning five National Championships. Four came at the I-AA level at Youngstown, while Tressel also led the Buckeyes to the BCS title in 2002.
Now the interesting question is this: What becomes of Tressel from here? For a man who clearly knows football as well as he does, you’d have to think that there is a job for Tressel beyond “replay booth consultant” (no matter how you may feel about the glamour of the position). Due to pending NCAA sanctions, it seems like his career in college is done, but could he end up on an NFL sideline? Given Tressel’s proclivity for developing talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball, it wouldn’t shock this writer. Especially given his strong NFL connections. Including apparently, with Caldwell.
Either way, Jim Tressel is back where he belongs: Around the sport of football.
The announcement comes just one day prior to Ohio State’s first game in the post-Tressel era, as the Buckeyes host Akron, Saturday at noon.
For updates on late-breaking news, opinion and everything else in the world of college football, follow Crystal Ball Run on Twitter @CrystalBallRun.
Follow Aaron Torres on Twitter @Aaron_Torres.
