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Akron gives Tressel title of vice-president
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University of Akron president Luis M. Proenza, background, listens as former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel addresses the media after being introduced as the university’s new vice president for strategic engagement at a press conference in Akron on Thursday.
By Tim May
The Columbus Dispatch
AKRON
Years ago, when Jim Tressel first began pondering his post-football coaching future, he aspired to work on the academic side of college life in his golden years. He even had that promised opportunity written in to his last contract at Ohio State.
So it was no surprise to see Tressel sharing a lectern on Thursday with a university president and speaking to a group that included faculty, administrators, state legislators, students and a horde of media about taking that next step. Except that this happened on the campus of the University of Akron, where president Luis M. Proenza had just named Tressel to the new position of vice president of strategic engagement.
The occasion prompted the first media briefing with Tressel since his 10-year run as coach at Ohio State ended with his forced resignation on May 30 in the midst of an NCAA investigation. He hadn’t talked much about that until Thursday, and even then, when he was asked to speak of the past, he turned the conversation toward the future he always perceived.
Of his fall from OSU, Tressel said “it probably hastened and changed where” he figured he’d spend his post-coaching life. “Because I thought it might be central Ohio. You never know why things happen.”
But he did know the direction he wanted to take after coaching and long ago had conveyed that message to OSU athletic director Gene Smith.
“Gene and I had an agreement way back that as soon as I’m not the best guy for the job, I want to go start my next thing,” Tressel said. “Not necessarily the way it occurred, but I feel fortunate I have gotten this opportunity, and it’s going to be a fun one. I’m excited about being a Zip.”