Jim Tressel Resigns and Another Era in Buckeyes History Ends Badly

The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that embattled head coach Jim Tressel has resigned from Ohio State. 

The inevitable has happened and all that remains are the impending sanctions by the NCAA. 

Buckeye Nation can breathe a sigh of relief, but will have to live with the fact that the two best coaches to grace the Horseshoe sideline ended their tenure shamefully.

Whoever replaces Tressel has enormous shoes to fill. In 10 seasons, he won seven Big Ten titles and a national championship, was 9-1 against Michigan and went 5-3 in BCS bowl games.

The new coach will also have to deal with the severe penalties to be leveled against Ohio State in August. 

If USC’s recent loss in the appeal process is any measure, the Buckeyes will be hit hard. 

The rumor mill is officially open. Meyer, Pelini, Gruden, Petersen and Dantonio are all strong candidates, but Ohio State rarely makes the obvious move.

For now, co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell will be in charge. Although he may not have envisioned this scenario as the way he would take over as head man, Fickell is definitely ready for the job. 

Unfortunately, he may not get the permanent chance to steer Ohio State through the turbulence. OSU may be forced to clean house just to make a point that they will not tolerate gross negligence when it comes to NCAA rules. 

Despite the circumstances, Ohio State will continue to be an elite program. After a year or two in purgatory, the program will be back on top. 

The rest of the Big Ten should take the opportunity for some of the spotlight. 

Coach Tressel will weather this storm too. His reputation is damaged, but he has too much equity as a coach—and a person—to stay down too long.