As Ohio State looks to win its first national championship since the 2002 season, the man who helped lead the Buckeyes to the promised land is on hand to take in OSU’s latest attempt.
Jim Tressel, announced as a member of the College Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2015 earlier this week, has been on the AT&T Stadium turf as part of the run-up to the College Football Playoff championship game between OSU and Oregon. Tressel, along with his wife, spent several minutes on the field speaking to the assembled media prior to his duties in taking part in the pregame coin toss.
In May of 2011, Tressel was fired as OSU’s head coach for his role in covering up and lying about NCAA violations committed by a handful of his players. Some of the players he recruited are now seniors on this year’s squad, adding an even deeper connection for a coach, now the president at Youngstown State, who grew up with a deep love for his home state’s flagship football program.
“Very connected,” Tressel said according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer when asked about his feelings toward the football team. “Some of them we actually were sitting in their living rooms. And of course, the colors themselves you are connected with deep down.”
Not to be outdone, the last head coach to lead Oregon to the cusp of a national championship, Chip Kelly, is on hand as well.
Kelly left the Ducks in January of 2013 to take over the Philadelphia Eagles, two seasons after leading Oregon to the BCS title game against Auburn. Monday, Kelly appeared on several pregame shows giving his insight into tonight’s title tilt.
Interestingly, Kelly’s former Ducks were hit with NCAA sanctions a couple of months after he left for the NFL, although not nearly to the extent of Tressel’s Buckeyes.
