Looking to the Future: Who Will Replace Jim Tressel at Ohio State?

Buckeye fans can attest to the fact that Jim Tressel has been a breath of fresh air in Columbus and has made the Ohio State football program into one of the elites once again.

At 56, Tressel still has some years of coaching ahead of him at Ohio State.

But it's unclear for how long. He might not have the lengthy career of Joe Paterno or Bobby Bowden, but he already has a great deal of accolades.

No doubt upon his retirement/resignation will the OSU athletic department try to get a coach who can continue the incredible success of the Buckeyes in this decade.

If Tressel does not name a successor, here are some ideas for coaches that might help to continue the tradition in the future:

Urban Meyer

A fellow Ohioan, Meyer has been quick to turn the Florida Gators into a national powerhouse. He has simply been a huge success everywhere he has been.

Although he might want to stay at Gainesville, not too often does a coach get to lead the best team from his home state.

Known as a great offensive mind and an amazing recruiter, Meyer no doubt can continue the success that Tressel began at the beginning of the decade.

If he leaves Florida, several believe that his first choice of relocation will be Notre Dame. But if the opportunity presents itself in Columbus, Meyer's mind might be swayed to spearhead the Buckeyes in the future.

Mark D'Antonio

A former assistant of Tressel's, D'Antonio has been in charge of making the Michigan State Spartans into one of the Big Ten's toughest teams.

His mold of team is physical and hard-nosed, much like the teams of Woody Hayes, and he is well-respected in circles of Buckeye fans.

D'Antonio has the chance to make the Spartans into one of the elite teams in the Big Ten, and chances are he might not leave until he has finished what he started. But he could also be swayed by a fanbase that remembers his defensive successes before leaving after 2005.

Kyle Whittingham

One of the hottest names in coaching, Whittingham kept the success Meyer had going in Utah for the past four seasons, including the 2009 Sugar Bowl upset win over Alabama.

Although he has no ties to Ohio, the 2008 Coach of the Year could make a Meyer-like move to a big school and have a large impact on the program.

His new contract extension makes a move out East unlikely, but any coach that has a perfect season like Whittingham might want to move on to a bigger test.

Chris Petersen

Boise's Chris Petersen is another of the hottest names when it comes to coaches.

With only four losses in three years as a head coach, Petersen has been as dominant as any coach at any level.

But with no Ohio ties, like Whittingham, a move to get him to Columbus is remote at best.

No doubt though bringing in a talented coach like Petersen, who is also an offensive genius, would generate some offensive excitement in Columbus, something which is very rare to nonexistent in recent years.

In-house promotion

The most likely option that the Buckeyes will pursue is a promotion from within Tressel's current staff.

Having a successor from within would ensure that Tressel's philosophies and fundamentals would be carried on long after he leaves the football program.

However, Ohio State doesn't exactly have the types of assistants that other programs are clamoring over or that impress anyone around Columbus.

This may be a cost-cutting measure by the athletic department, but there could also be a performance-cutting measure unless Tressel handpicks his successor such as Paterno, Bowden, and Mack Brown have done.

Whatever Ohio State decides to do on Tressel's eventual departure, though it will be years down the road, he may have a large amount of input before his replacement is determined.

One cannot ignore though that his presence at least in these few years has been nothing short of spectacular for Buckeye fans.