Jim Tressel (99-21) will be going for his 100th win as head football coach at Ohio State as the No. 2 Buckeyes (5-0, 1-0) take on Indiana (3-1, 0-1) Saturday in Ohio Stadium.
What does the potential accomplishment mean to Tressel?
“I guess I’m getting old,” Tressel said. “If you stick around long enough, you’re going to get some of those milestones.”
Despite Tressel’s downplay, the win would be historic. Tressel would join Woody Hayes (205) and John Cooper (111) as the only coaches to top the 100 mark in wins as OSU head coaches.
More noteworthy is how quickly Tressel might reach the plateau.
“Woody got it his 144th game, Cooper his 138th game, and if Jim gets it Saturday, it will be his 121st game. That’s really something,” OSU football historian Jack Park said.
Tressel has a chance of achieving another record.
“If Ohio State wins every game the rest of the year and wins its postseason game, (Tressel) will have the highest winning percentage of any coach in the history of the Big Ten Conference that has coached in the conference at least 10 years,” Park said.
Tressel’s success at OSU should come as no surprise considering what he accomplished at Youngstown State from 1986-2000. Tressel compiled a 135-57-2 record and won four national titles.
“A lot of the things they are doing at Ohio State now are things they were doing at Youngstown State,” said Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts.com managing editor. “It’s just the Tressel form. It’s been amazing the success he’s had.”
