Ohio State Football: Time To Move on From Jim Tressel With Urban Meyer

There comes a time when enough is enough. For Jim Tressel and the Ohio State Buckeyes that time has come. 

Nothing Tressel has done in the past matters at all right now. Not the 9-1 record against Michigan, the six straight Big Ten Championships or the eight BCS bowl appearances in the past nine seasons. Not even the three National Championship appearances or the 2002 National Championship. 

Tressel's 106-22 record at Ohio State over the past decade is unmatched by any coach in Buckeye history. Simply put, he has been as successful as any college football coach over the past decade...on the field.

Off the field has been a slightly different story. While he seems to keep a crystal clean appearance, Tressel has had run-ins in the past while at Youngstown St. and now Ohio State.

What Tressel did has been documented and beaten into the ground by the media. Everybody knows the details, especially Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith.

While some programs may keep a coach in a situation like this, Ohio State needs to be above that. The Ohio State University is a renowned program that can not let a head coach get away with something like this.

The dishonesty and hypocratical nature Tressel has shown over the past year can not be overlooked or forgiven by Ohio State or any of its fans. 

That is why it is time for Ohio State to cut Tressel loose. Part ways with 'Sweater Vest', thank him for a decade of dominance, but never forgive him for what he did to the program. 

Luke Fickell has already been named the interim coach for the first five games next season. Fickell is the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. He is a promising young coach that can easily lead the program for a short period of time. 

Gene Smith needs to let Fickell coach the team for the entire 2011 season and begin courting Urban Meyer to take over the program in 2012. 

Meyer has many coaching years left and the Ohio State job is one that almost certainly entices the former Florida coach. 

Meyer is an Ohio guy. He was born in Toledo and was a defensive back for the University of Cincinnati from 1983-1986. Meyer joined the Ohio State coaching staff in 1986 as tight ends coach and coached the wide receivers in 1987. 

He became the head coach of Bowling Green in 2001 and a trip back to the Buckeye state might be in Meyer's best interest. 

Meyer is one of a few big name coaches who could keep Ohio State rolling without missing a beat. He has been successful wherever he has gone and has won two National Championships in the process.

As much as Buckeye fans may dislike the Florida program and Meyer for being there, he would be a perfect fit in Columbus.  

So I urge Gordan Gee and Gene Smith to bid Tressel farewell and go after Urban Meyer. 

There comes a time when it is best to move on. That time is now for The Ohio State University football program.