Someone Take Jim Tressel's Shovel Away

Jim Tressel just won't stop.  He keeps digging himself into a deeper and deeper hole.  As everyone is aware of it came out in the last week or two that Tressel had been tipped off via email about Terrelle Pryor and 4 other Buckeye's illegal merchandise scheme long before the NCAA found out and subsequently suspended the five players for the first five games of 2011.  We all know that if there is one thing the NCAA really doesn't appreciate its being lied to, just ask Bruce Pearl.  These transgressions left Tressel with a $250,000 fine and a 2 game suspension which he later voluntarily increased to 5 games.  Well, today the Columbus Dispatch reported that Tressel forwarded that infamous email on to Terrelle Pryor's "mentor" in an apparent attempt to have him address the issue.  So where does this leave Jim Tressel and The Ohio State University?


In my opinion it results in the two parting ways.  I think you could see a lot of parallels with the Bruce Pearl situation.  OSU has stood firmly behind Tressel to this point and I think they will most likely continue to do so at least through the 2011 season.  At that point, Pryor (the cause of a lot of headaches in the Columbus area the last three years) is gone and it may be time to clean their hands of the entire situation.  Not to mention the fact that the NCAA has yet to weigh in on Tressel and/or OSU's punishment in this case.  Just like Tennessee did, OSU may have to rid themselves of a great coach in order to avoid further sanctions. 

Tressel was widely viewed as a squeaky clean, sweater vest wearing, honest abe before this situation manifested itself in the last few weeks.  However, if you examine his past the Vest hasn't exactly ran a tight ship his entire career.  Just to touch on the major scandals: Tressel's then employer, Youngstown State, was hammered with probation in 1991, Maurice Clarett was hit with NCAA ineligibility, Heisman Winner Troy Smith suffered a similar fate, and as mentioned above OSU has found itself in some hot water.

Based on these facts Tressel, like Pearl, can be considered a repeat offender (a label no one going before the NCAA wants anything to do with).  Despite his extremely impressive on field accomplishments Ohio State may have no choice but to part ways with Jim Tressel, if for no other reason than self-preservation. 

I expect Tressel to coach out this next season with Pryor and the Buckeyes and then be forced out of the program he has led for the last 10 years. 

What do you think?  Weigh in on the topic in the SNOtap poll question.