The Vest

In 2001 Ohio State got a new coach for the football team. The pick was Jim Tressel who had been a national championship winning coach from Youngstown State University. When he was introduced to the Ohio State crowd during a basketball game, Coach Tressel promised, "I can assure you that you will be proud of your young people in the classroom, in the community, and most especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the football field". 310 days after he spoke those words, he made good on the part of the promise that mattered the most to fans, Ohio State beat Michigan in Ann Arbor, 26-20.

He is best know for the sweater vest he wears on game day. A gray one for home games and a red one for road games. He is sometimes called "the Senator" for his diplomatic and sometimes evasive way he responds to the media. He is calm and always speaks well of his opposing teams before and after the games no matter who wins. His attitude is reflected by his players who try to avoid any trash talk before or after games.

His conservative appearance also indicates his conservative football play calling. The great Woody Hayes was famous for coaching "three yards and a cloud of dust" and Jim Tressel follows the long and glorious tradition of smashmouth Big Ten football. His schemes rely mostly on strong defense, good field position, reliance on special teams, and just enough offense to win the game.

What fans love most about Jim Tressel is his record against that team up north. He is currently 6-1 against the Wolverines. Tressel's six wins against Michigan place him second in school history to Woody Hayes' 16, and alone in Ohio State football history in winning six of his first seven meetings with the Wolverines. That's why they make a t-shirt that says In Tressel We Trust.


Well, thus concludes my weeklong OSU traditions in the blog. I realize that I haven't mentioned jumping in Mirror Lake or a whole host of campus craziness, but to experience all of that, move to Columbus, Ohio and live there for a while, it's highly contagious.