Akron to hire Tressel as academic administrator, sources say
A 10-year football coach at Ohio State, Jim Tressel was forced to resign on May 30 in the midst of an NCAA investigation of the program.
Former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel is expected to be introduced on Thursday by the University of Akron as an administrator, possibly a vice president on the academic side, several sources told The Dispatch tonight.
Officials from Akron would not confirm it but issued the following statement:
“When Jim Tressel and other alumni assisted us in our search for a football coach last December, we began to engage in dynamic conversations about Jim’s professional goals outside of athletics. We share a common interest in innovative programs for student success. Our discussions continue.”
It wasn’t clear what capacity Tressel will serve in.
A 10-year coach at Ohio State, including the 2002 national championship, Tressel was forced to resign on May 30 in the midst of an NCAA investigation of the program. Tressel was ultimately judged by the NCAA to have not been forthright at the beginning of the investigation and was hit with a five-year “show cause” penalty in December.
In essence, the penalty means that if a school tries to hire him in its athletic department during that period, it must show the NCAA why and monitor his actions. It also puts restrictions on what he can do in terms of recruiting and other duties. But it likely would have little or no effect on a job outside athletics.
tmay@dispatch.com
