Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Associated Press
COLUMBUS
If Ohio State assistant Dick Tressel were to guess, he believes his younger brother will be back in coaching someday.
The NCAA may have other ideas.
Jim Tressel was forced to resign as the Buckeyes’ coach on May 30 after admitting he learned in April 2010 that some of his players might have accepted cash and free tattoos from a Columbus tattoo-parlor owner. He knew about the potential violations for more than nine months but said nothing until he was confronted by investigators in January 2011.
“I sense that [he will coach again],” Dick Tressel said. “That’s just because that’s who he is, that’s what he does. There’s no reason to not think that, I guess.”
Dick Tressel, brought to Ohio State in 2001 by his little brother after 23 years as the coach at Hamline University, remains on the Buckeyes coaching staff. Instead of answering to his sibling, he now serves as running backs and special teams assistant under interim coach Luke Fickell.
Ohio State’s program has been in the national spotlight since the U.S. Attorney’s office first brought the matter of signed memorabilia to Ohio State’s attention last December. There has been a steady drip of rumors, innuendo and allegations ever since.
As part of its sanctions against Ohio State and Jim Tressel, the NCAA could levy a “show cause” penalty against the 10-year coach of the Buckeyes. That would mean that any college which wanted to hire him would have to in essence prove to the NCAA why he would be a worthwhile candidate and might not break rules again.
No coach has ever been hired who was still under an NCAA show-cause sanction.
Dick Tressel was asked how difficult the ordeal has been on him.
“Oh, not as hard as it’s been on Jim Tressel and a bunch of other people. I think that it’s been hard on everybody,” he said. “I don’t think that I should be singled out as it being harder on me. Because I maybe more than anybody else know that Jim Tressel is a special person and will want the Buckeyes to move forward.”
When investigators first started looking into the allegations of improper benefits, loaner cars, cash for memorabilia and other NCAA violations, Dick Tressel said he never considered leaving.
“I’m here, ready to go. The process was to help kids play, help kids become the best that they can be,” he said. “That’s how the program was last January and that’s how it is now. I’m just doing what I can do.”