Tressel defends offensive play-calling

By KEN GORDON

COLUMBUS — As fan frustration over a stagnant Ohio State offense has mounted in recent years, a growing number have been calling for change.

Most of them don’t want to change the coach — they enjoy the benefits that come from having Jim Tressel at the helm:

Off the field, he comes across as a fine ambassador of the program, a CEO of Ohio State football, if you will. He has a good public image and espouses the values of education and helping players grow as human beings.

On the field, he wins more than 80 percent of his games, routinely beats Michigan and has a growing Big Ten title collection.

But they would like to separate out what they view as the major negatives: a conservative offensive philosophy that emphasizes field position and minimal mistakes, and an insistence on calling plays himself.

Once again Tuesday, in the wake of an 18-15 loss to Southern California, Tressel made it very clear that he is a package deal — you get the good with the bad, take it or leave it.

He was asked if he would ever consider making a wholesale change in his offensive philosophy.

“No, I’ll always believe that you win tough ballgames by making sure that you’re the group that makes less mistakes, wins that field position battle, wins the battle in the trenches,” Tressel said.

That led to the oft-asked question of whether he could see himself giving up calling the plays.

“I’ve always told you guys never say never, but I’ve also always told you that I’m probably not going to sit in my office and read USA Today or watch talk radio and get a headache,” he said. “I think I would have a hard time being at this press conference and you saying something about the offense or whatever and I had no clue. That, to me, I might as well send somebody else.”

Translated: You will have to pry the play-calling duties from my cold, dead fingers.

The problem comes after a big-game defeat like last week. OSU lost its sixth straight game against a top-five team. In those six games, the Buckeyes have averaged 13.8 points.

This season, Ohio State is ranked 92nd nationally (out of 120 teams) in total offense.

The natives are restless, and Tressel has the e-mails to prove it.

“The thing when I read some of them is I feel terrible for them because there’s no way they’re happy,” he said. “They’ve got to be some of the most unhappy people in the world, and I feel bad because we just made them less happy, and I hate to be a part of making someone less happy. I mean, they’re already miserable, and so to make them less happy, I feel bad.”

One big reason for the offensive struggles this season has been the shaky play of sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

He led the Big Ten in passing efficiency last season, throwing just four interceptions. Currently, he is 11th in the Big Ten, having already thrown two interceptions.

“Keep in mind that at this stage [in their careers], Troy Smith was a kickoff returner,” Tressel said, “and at this stage, Vince Young was getting spot duty going in when things were pretty good with a couple little things to do.”

That’s true, but that’s not the tune he was singing in the preseason, when he raved about Pryor’s progress from last year.

As he prepared to answer a final question Tuesday, Tressel showed his frustration at the tone of the proceedings.

“Thanks for bringing up Toledo [OSU’s next opponent], by the way,” he said.