Before I go any further dear reader, in the sake of full disclosure, I want to let you know that this is a sponsored post. However, considering the nature of the subject, it is something I would have written about sooner or later anyway.
Coach Tressel is once again in the running for the Liberty Mutual, Coach of the Year award. According to the award’s website, “The award recognizes the college football coach in each NCAA division that best demonstrates sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and excellence,” and “…truly focuses on a coaches actions off the field as much as on it.”
Regardless of how we feel about Tressel’s play from the sidelines lately, there is no question that Jim Tressel fits the criteria above. Since his arrival at Ohio State in 2001, not only has The Vest raised the bar on what Buckeyes now call a winning season, he has raised the bar as to what we expect of our Ohio State players both on and off the field.
Unlike so many other coaches out there, Tressel understands the importance of tradition at Ohio State and uses it to build character into his program. Don’t believe me? Just watch a stadium turn silent after a big win as the players form in front of the band to sing Carmen Ohio. Just thinking about it after the 2006 win over Michigan or the 2003 BCS Championship win over Miami is enough to give me goosebumps if not bring tears to my eyes.
Unlike so many college football programs out there, Ohio State runs a clean game and there is no question that Tressel sets the bar high. This past quarter, 53 Ohio State players earned 3.0 grade point average or better and eight of them earned a 4.0. And as much as it hurts sometimes, Tressel will often place the needs of the individual above the need to win. The Beanie Wells injury is the perfect example. Another coach might have played Wells going into a game like the USC game. It’s obvious Wells wanted to play. As much as it hurt to see Wells watch from the sideline, you have to give Tressel credit. He did what was best for Wells — regardless of the cost to the win/loss record.
But I’m preaching to the choir. Buckeye fans and the rest of the college football world know what Tressel has done not only for Ohio State but for college football as a whole. He has set a precedence in sportsmanship, integrity and leadership that is hard to match.
So, with that said, step up Buckeyes. Get out there and vote for Coach Tressel for the Liberty Mutual, Coach of the Year. You can vote daily and votes will be tallied through the end of the season.
The winning coach will receive $50,000 to donate to charity and a $20,000 grant to donate to his school’s alumni association for student scholarships and activities.
For more on Coach Tressel’s philosophy, check out www.coachtressel.com.
