I agree that we need to win big games but why do people ignore the overwhelming success this program has had under Tressel because of 5 or 6 games? The defense held one of the best offenses in the country to under 100 yards well into the fourth.
Let's not forget this is the man who brought home the crystal his second season and OSU's first national title in how many years, 40?
Anonymous
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I haven't heard that and anyone who says that isn't a true Buckeye fan, yes it's very stressful losing close games like with Texas & USC, but basically there was only 1 game we really got crushed in and that was Florida the LSU really was decided by a few key plays, Texas and USC were in the last minute.
He has an overall record of 84–20, including five Big Ten Conference championships, a 4–4 bowl record (3–3 in BCS bowl games) and a 7–1 record against archrival Michigan. Tressel's 7 wins against Michigan place him second in school history to Woody Hayes' 16, and alone in Ohio State football history in winning 7 of his first 8 meetings with the Wolverines, as well as being the only Ohio State head coach to win 5 consecutive games against Michigan.[2].
Funny thing is of those 20 losses 5 of them or 25% of them was from his first season at Ohio State.
I only can count 14 losses, but that's just off the top of my head so they probably are right about that number
Dave P
First of all, who said that this year's USC offense is one of the best in the country? They have one of the most inexperienced QB's in college football and one of their huge offensive weapons, Ronald Curry, is injured. This is not the same USC offense that had Sanchez quarterbacking last year. They do have an amazing running game, and OSU did a great job of shutting it down for most of the game, though.
The reason Tressel is always under fire is because...yes, he won a national title in 2002...and what has he done since then? Lost to every elite team he has played in recent years...that's what. OSU always receives the benefit of their program's history by always being ranked somewhere close to the top 10 before the season begins...which they are not a top 10 team anymore and haven't been for years...and they hold onto that ranking by cakewalking through the Big 10. OSU fans have too high of expectations for their team because OSU looks good in their weak conference...remember 2006? Everybody thought Michigan and Ohio State were the two best teams in the country...and then they both get spanked in their bowl games when they played some out of conference elite teams. I couldn't believe the OSU/Penn State game last year. Ohio State had a 3 point lead with 12 minutes left in the 4th quarter and Tressel was trying to run the clock down by rushing Beanie Wells on 3rd and long. You can't be content with a 3 point lead and almost the entire 4th quarter left to play...you have to keep your foot on the gas and go score. It's these type of overly-conservative game schemes that makes Tressel so unpopular...and unsuccessful against the best teams in the country.
Ih8UMich
Personally, I want Tressel fired because he doesn't learn. We've lost six big games, but he only lost me as a supporter after this USC game.
Here's why. Against Florida they got fat and lazy and while that's solely on a coach, Heacock didn't understand that Florida ran a 7 yard pass to the middle of the field on every 3rd down. Fire Heacock, but Tressel's fine. OSU didn't belong in the game against LSU and was there because so many other teams lost. USC last year was a much better team than we were.
HOWEVER, against Penn State, Texas (as well as Texas in 05), and this year's USC, we lost for the same reasons! Over-reliance on a defense that gave up the game on the last drive. The D isn't at fault, it's Tressel's refusal to try to score points! If the other team's D is better, fine! But put pressure on them! Try different things! If Herron up the middle doesn't work the first 12 times, will it really work the 13th time? For God's sake, Tressel, TRY SOMETHING!
Don't tell me that he's this great coach because he can consistently beat Northwestern, Indiana, and Michigan State. Or because he beat Miami seven years ago. Since then, he beat (barely) K-State, a sadly over-matched Notre Dame team, a Texas team with a true freshman qb, a decayed Michigan team, and lost every other big game!
You tell me the really good teams Tressel's beaten. Michigan 06? Crushed by USC. Next.
REMY D RETURNS
Lets not forget that nobody recognizes Ohio State as national champions. I guess the video replay which shows a blown call which cost Miami the championship, is why.
And USC doesn't have one of the best offenses. A freshman Q.B and a loss of offensive players last year make this an offense that's maybe top 25 at best.
And remember Lloyd Carr won a national championship (without refs help) to, and if I'm correct Carr was always voted as the coach who gets the least out of his players.
Lets face it Tressel blows and so does Pryor. The boring, predictable, conservative offense has been a killer for State. Pryor Can't throw, cant read a defense, and is not dependable under pressure and that doesn't help.
And all of this despite the fact Ohio State and Tressel have the DIRTIEST PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY.. Tressel gets caught giving cars to players at Youngstown state. You have Claurette who claims he got paid. Tressel gets caught flying recruits around in a plane and then claims "I didn't know the rules".
If Tressel and Pryor don't ruin State, NCAA sanctions will.
BigM
There's an illusion around Ohio State that Tressel is STILL one of the best coaches in the country, just because he won a National Championship and because they beat up on teams like Akron, Kent, Northwestern, and Div 2 Youngstown State each year.
Any top coach, team, or program on any level is measured by how they stack-up against the best, and Tressel has a terrible losing record against the best teams ever since his 2002 (2001 season) National Championship.
The fact is, he hasn't been able to beat any of the truly top teams in the country over the past few years (even though their talent could be argued to be equivalent or better in some cases) along with a couple of horribly embarrassing loses on the national stage against top teams...the result is that a lot of people are calling for him to get fired. People will overlook 1-2 slip-ups, but not 8 years worth.