After reportedly interviewing twice for the Indianapolis Colts’ head coaching vacancy, Jim Tressel was passed over for the job in favor of Chuck Pagano.
With uncertainty swirling around his NFL prospects -- the former Ohio State head coach spent last season as a game-day replay consultant for the Colts -- and a five-year show-cause sanction from the NCAA still hanging over his head, Tressel’s future in coaching is very much uncertain at this point. Reportedly, however, the Sweatervest is mulling a move back to the collegiate level in a capacity other than coaching.
In a tweet sent out by Adam Schefter Sunday morning, the ESPN NFL insider writes "[w]ord around league is that Jim Tressel is now interested in going back to school, at Ohio St. or somewhere, as a college administrator.”
The speculation makes sense on a couple of fronts. Prior to his scandal-plagued departure from the Buckeyes, it was thought that, once his coaching career had come to an end, Tressel would move on and become an athletic director, perhaps even at his beloved OSU -- provided he didn’t make a run for political office, of course.
Additionally, the scope of the show-cause penalty is limited to coaching, and would have no impact if he wanted to become an administrator.
The only part of the Schefter’s speculation that likely wouldn’t match reality? Including Ohio State as a potential administrative destination. Based on his tumultuous departure and how little distance there’s been since, it seems highly unlikely OSU would want to partake in a reunion for the foreseeable future.
Youngstown State, on the other hand, would jump at the opportunity to bring Tressel back home. Whether Tressel would want to go back to the Div. I-A school where he won four national titles is another matter entirely.