Scarlet and Game
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Top three head coaches in Ohio State football history

By Zane Harris

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 01: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on before the game against the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff semifinal game at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 01, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 01: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on before the game against the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff semifinal game at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 01, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 04: Head coach Jim Tressel of the Ohio State Buckeyes gathers his team before the Allstate Sugar Bowl against the Arkansas Razorbacks at the Louisiana Superdome on January 4, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 04: Head coach Jim Tressel of the Ohio State Buckeyes gathers his team before the Allstate Sugar Bowl against the Arkansas Razorbacks at the Louisiana Superdome on January 4, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

#3: Jim Tressel

The first former head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes on the list is Jim Tressel. Tressel began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Akron. After this, he became a quarterbacks and receivers coach at Miami University. The next season, Tressel was hired as the quarterback’s coach at Syracuse University.

He then would be the quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers coach at Ohio State for the next two seasons. After this, he would land his first head coaching job at Youngstown State University. After fourteen years at Youngstown State, Tressel would return to Ohio State as the head coach.

During his time as the head coach of the Buckeyes, Tressel had a record of 94-22 which is the fourth-best record in Ohio State history only behind Ryan Day, Urban Meyer, and Carroll Widdoes.

Along with this, the Buckeyes had three championship appearances with Tressel and won one of them against the Miami Hurricanes. Despite losing his other two trips to the championship, it is still impressive that Tressel was able to coach a team to the title game two years in a row.

Tressel finished his coaching career with the Buckeyes with six conference championships along with a 4-2 record in bowl games and a 9-1 record against Michigan.

Some notable players that played under Jim Tressel were Cameron Hayward, Maurice Clarett, Mike Nugent, Ted Ginn, Beanie Wells, Malcolm Jenkins, James Laurinaitis, A.J. Hawk, Terelle Pryor, Mike Doss, Troy Smith, and Craig Krezel.

Sadly, his time was cut short with the Buckeyes after it came out that he was not 100% transparent with the NCAA while they were conducting an investigation about players selling memorabilia in exchange for both money and tattoos.

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