1IMonday, June 6, 2011
The Michigan Daily- michigandaily.com
Tressel says Ohio State will prevail against'M'

By STEPHEN J. NESBITT
Daily SportsEditor
"Don't forget: On Nov. 26 we're
going to kick (Michigan's) ass!"
I With the sun beating down on
him in 90-degree weather, Jim
Tressel sounded like it was the first
day of fall camp.
In Tressel's first public address
since resigning as head football
coach at Ohio State - a gathering of
200-plus fans outside his Columbus
home - the 58-year-old gave the
crowd exactly what they were look-
ing for, taking one last stab at rival
Michigan.
The embattled coach stepped
down last Monday amidst months
of swirling accusations and specu-
lations surrounding the entire
Buckeye football program.
With Luke Fickell officially
named as the interim coach to
replace Tressel, students in Colum-
bus decided to honor Tressel,
who left with a 9-1 all-time record
against the Wolverines.
Rather than go ahead with plans
for a Mirror Lake jump for Tres-
sel as originally planned, Ohio
State seniors Tawni Shaffer and
.*ndrew Haviland organized a col-

lective effort to show their support
for Tressel's 10 years at the helm of
Buckeye Nation. At 6 p.m. Saturday,
a group of more than 200 walked
from Lane Road Park in Upper
Arlington to Tressel's home.
And Tressel - with his wife
Ellen - met them with open arms.
"We're going to be Buckeyes
for life," Tressel said with his arm
around his wife. "What's that old
saying? Buckeye born and bred, a
Buckeye 'til I'm dead."
The doorstep rally lasted about
25 minutes. Tressel and his wife
posed for pictures on the porch
of their home, shook hands and
thanked those in attendance for
their support.
"Honestly, even with all the
things that have happened these
last two months, we really thought
Coach Tressel deserves us to recog-
nize all the good things he's done,
no matter what comes out (later),"
Shaffer said Monday. "He's done so
many things for the university, so
many things to help athletes.
"Every person has their faults."
Students, alumni and fans alike
sang the alma mater and held
up signs reading, "You're in Our
Prayers," "We Support You, Jim!"

and "We Love You, Coach Tressel."
A similar rally took place in Colum-
bus when then-head coach Woody
Hayes was fired in 1978.
For a coach whose downfall was
covering up scandal involving doz-
ens of players receiving improper
benefits from a Columbus tattoo-
parlor owner, the gathering was
nothing short of a celebration.
"I'm still a Buckeye through and
through," Nick Jack, an Ohio State
student, told The Plain Dealer. "I
love the team and I love the coach-
es. I've always thought really highly
of (Tressel) and after this night, it
takes it to another level."
But the students might be singing
another tune when the 2011 season
comes around this fall.
Five of Ohio State's key play-
ers, including quarterback Terrelle
Pryor, running back Boom Herron
and wide receiver DeVier Posey, are
suspended for the first five games of
the season. In addition, the NCAA
ruling regarding Tressel and Ohio
State's iniquities is expected to be
released mid-season.
But while celebratingthe coach's
success puts a pretty face on Colum-
bus for now, Tressel's ousting might
simply be scratching the surface on

a troubling punishment for Ohio
State.
"Down here at Ohio State, we
really do still support him," Shaf-
fer said. "Some have some hard
feelings, but we just have to wait
and see what happens. No matter
what, we're pretty forgiving. Even if
something else were to come out, I
don't think it would change the stu-

Like every good get-together in
Columbus, before the crowd dis-
persed from Tressel's driveway, a
round of "We Don't Give a Damn
About the Whole State of Michi-
gan" ensured that the rivalry hasn't
lost any luster.
"Buckeye Nation, we'll still back
up the football team," Shaffer said.
"It's the biggest rivalry, I think it'll
still be going on strong this year."

Former Ohio State coach Jim Tresses resigned Monday after 10 years in Columbus.


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