Ohio State to add Jim Tressel to Ring of Honor

Field Level Media|published: Tue 23rd June, 14:02 2026

Ohio State's Troy Smith and Ted Ginn Jr. consult with Coach Jim Tressel during the first half of the BCS Championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, January 8, 2007.

National championship-winning head coach Jim Tressel will be inducted into Ohio State's Ring of Honor on Sept. 5.

Tressel, who coached the Buckeyes from 2001-10 and won a national title in 2002, will join Woody Hayes and Paul Brown as the only coaches so honored at Ohio Stadium in Columbus.

He will be the first person enshrined by Ohio State since his former quarterback, 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, was recognized in 2014.

"Growing up in Ohio, Ohio Stadium was about as special a place as there could be for a Buckeye fan," Tressel said in a statement. "Then, when you have the privilege of spending so many years on the field as a coach, you never really think about something like this. You just try to honor the tradition, respect the responsibility that comes with it, and do your very best each day. I grew up admiring Paul Brown and Woody Hayes, and they both meant so much to our family. To be recognized alongside these men is truly humbling."

Tressel led the Buckeyes to six Big Ten titles and was named the consensus national Coach of the Year in 2002. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

"What truly sets him apart is the way he led, taught, and served others," Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork said in a statement. "Coach Tressel built championship teams while developing generations of young men who went on to become leaders in their communities and professions. His commitment to excellence and the student-athlete experience helped define an era of Ohio State football and strengthened the values that continue to guide our department today."

Tressel resigned during the spring of 2011 after a scandal involving several players receiving improper benefits from a Columbus tattoo parlor. Ohio State had to vacate all 12 wins from the 2010 season and Tressel never returned to coaching.

Tressel, 73, currently serves at the Lieutenant Governor of Ohio. He was the president of Youngstown State University from 2014-23.

--Field Level Media

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