Tressel to be enshrined in Ohio Stadium Ring of Honor at Buckeyes’ season opener

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Tressel to be enshrined in Ohio Stadium Ring of Honor at Buckeyes' season opener

Tressel joins Paul Brown, Woody Hayes in C-Deck commemoration

National Championship-winning Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel is set to be enshrined on the C-Deck Ring of Honor at Ohio Stadium when the Buckeyes host Ball State in their season opener on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 12:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on BTN.

Tressel becomes the third coach to be honored at Ohio Stadium, joining Paul Brown (1941-43) and Woody Hayes (1951-78). He also becomes the first person added to the Ring of Honor since 2014, when one of his quarterbacks, 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, was inducted.

"Growing up in Ohio, Ohio Stadium was about as special a place as there could be for a Buckeye fan. Then, when you have the privilege of spending so many years on the field as a coach, you never really think about something like this," Tressel said. "You just try to honor the tradition, respect the responsibility that comes with it, and do your very best each day."

Tressel said he grew up admiring Brown and Hayes.

"They both meant so much to our family. To be recognized alongside these men is truly humbling," he said. "Thank you to Ellen and our entire family, our players, our coaches and support staff, TBDBITL and the entire Buckeye Nation for the support over the years. I'm grateful to have been a small part of such a special tradition, and I will be forever grateful to Andy Geiger and President Brit Kirwan for giving us this extraordinary opportunity."

Tressel took over as head football coach in 2001 and continued Ohio State's legacy as a perennial national contender. His Buckeyes won at least 10 games in six seasons and reached the BCS Title Game three times, winning it in the 2002 season. That signature year featured an undefeated 14-0 run, as Ohio State downed top-ranked Miami 31-24 in double overtime for the national title.

Ohio State also played in the BCS National Championship Game in 2006 and 2007. Across his decade leading the Buckeyes, Ohio State made a bowl each season and played in eight BCS games.

Tressel's Ohio State teams went 9-1 against Michigan, including a 2010 game that was later vacated by the NCAA.

In addition to Heisman winner Smith, Tressel coached 67 NFL Draft picks, including 14 first-round selections; 57 First Team All-Big Ten selections; 24 First Team All-America selection; and eight Academic All-Americans.

"Jim Tressel's impact on Ohio State is long-lasting and still ever-present on our campus," said Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director Ross Bjork. "He is not only one of the most accomplished coaches in our school's history, but in the entire history of college football."

In addition to his accomplishments on the field, what sets Tressel apart is the way he led, taught and served others, Bjork said.

"Coach Tressel built championship teams while developing generations of young men who went on to become leaders in their communities and professions," he said. "His commitment to excellence and the student-athlete experience helped define an era of Ohio State football and strengthened the values that continue to guide our department today. His legacy extends far beyond wins and championships, and no one upholds 'The People, The Tradition and The Excellence' more, and we are grateful for the lasting impact he has made on this university and Buckeye Nation."

After leading Ohio State to one of the most successful eras in program history, Tressel dedicated himself to shaping the next generation through public service and higher education, serving as president of Youngstown State University and Ohio's lieutenant governor. Through the Team Tressel Fitness Challenge, he continues to do what he has always done best: coach young people to become stronger mentally, physically and emotionally to reach their full potential.

Tressel's commitment to character development is a cornerstone of his legacy, said Head Football Coach Ryan Day.

"Coach Tressel's success on the field was remarkable, but what stands out most to me is how he invested in people. He understood that coaching is much more than the game as it is about developing leaders, building character and preparing young men for the challenges they'll face in life after football," Day said.

"We're building on the legacy he and all the outstanding leaders before us created for this historic program. His legacy will always be measured not just by what his teams accomplished, but by the countless lives he helped shape through his leadership and mentorship."

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