Jim Tressel to the Browns? (1 Viewer)

[BGP]

The following are some of the articles that have been written this season with regards to Jim Tressel possibly becoming the Browns head coach in 2007. I am posting this now because the line of thinking here is that he would step down after the BCS title game, so it would happen soon if it does. In posting this, I am not saying I believe it will occur. But it is a big subplot to the NCAA division I title matchup.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=in...n&type=lgns

Look for the Cleveland Browns to come after Ohio State coach Jim Tressel if the Buckeyes win the national title. A clause in Tressel's seven-year, $17.1 million contract signed last May voids the package if he wins a national title. The Browns likely would double Tressel's average annual salary of $2.45 million and give one of football's best coaches another challenge after two national titles in his past five seasons in Columbus. Tressel, a Berea, Ohio, native who grew up a Browns fan, also has a $1 million buyout in his current contract. Tressel says he's happy in the college game, but one thing is certain: If OSU wins the national title, Tressel soon will be the highest-paid coach in college football ($3 million-plus per year) or one of the highest-paid in the NFL. . . .

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/plaindeale....xml&coll=2

Iowa's Ferentz is Big Ten's hot name, but Browns job might interest OSU coach

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Tony Grossi

Plain Dealer Reporter

It's no secret that Browns General Manager Phil Savage is good friends with Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. So is Baltimore General Manager Ozzie Newsome, as well as other team executives in the NFL.

It has been speculated in NFL circles that whichever GM goes looking for a head coach next, Ferentz would be the first choice of each.

Now it appears that Savage and Newsome both could be in the market for head coaches after this season.

If the Browns' season continues to flow down the sewer and owner Randy Lerner allows Savage one more coaching change, Savage could face a dilemma. How could he pick Ferentz, a good coach, over Ohio State's Jim Tressel, a better one?

Most assume Tressel aspires to no other job than the one he has. According to a source close to the OSU situation, however, the Browns might be the only NFL job that would interest Tressel.

Remember that Tressel, born in Mentor, spent most of his childhood in Berea learning the coaching trade from his father, Lee, a legend at Baldwin-Wallace College.

If the Crennel Era indeed crashes and burns, Lerner will need to pull out something magical to stem a mass exodus of his stadium suite-holders. The place already has far too many vacancies for a football-mad market like Cleveland.

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindeale....xml&coll=2

Tressel's pro appeal not worth gamble

Friday, November 03, 2006

Bill Livingston

Plain Dealer Columnist

Don't rashly dismiss the idea of Jim Tressel coach ing the Browns as just another bad marriage.

Some of us (blush) thought promoting a I-AA coach from Youngstown State to the Ohio State pressure cooker was as doomed as the Reese Witherspoon/Ryan Phillippe union. Too bad we didn't sign a pre-nup to limit our stupidity liability.

When speculation arose about Tressel coaching his boyhood team, the Browns, he said he loved the college game and felt comfortable at OSU. He did not say he would be there until he died or was fired, as Charlie Weis said about Notre Dame.

With the Browns, Tressel could double his $2.5 million salary at Ohio State. A possible second national championship this year would enhance his appeal even more.

http://www.buckeyextra.com/?story=dispatch...1025-C3-00.html

Tressel not interested in coaching Browns

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Tim May

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Jim Tressel put down speculation that he might be interested in the Cleveland Browns’ coaching job if Romeo Crennel were fired at season’s end.

Asked for a reaction to the report in a Cleveland newspaper, the Ohio State coach said, "I’ve not spent one day playing in the NFL or coaching in the NFL, and I’ve got my hands full doing what I’m doing. So that’s my reaction."

The Cleveland Plain Dealer story indicated that a substantial financial offer and long-term deal might attract Tressel.

"I’ve got money and I’ve got a contract, so … " said Tressel, who signed a seven-year deal this year that will increase his compensation from $2.3 million for this year to $2.6 million in 2012.

Asked what it would take to lure him from Ohio State, he said, "Don’t know; can’t think of a thing."

Tressel, in his sixth year with the Buckeyes, was asked whether he would be satisfied finishing his career at OSU.

"Absolutely," he said.

The interesting thing is he never came flat out and said he would not consider coaching the Browns. he dodged the questioning.

 

[nightshift]

Let's see: leave a great college coaching career for the mistake by the lake? NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.

 

[Limp Ditka]

Let's see: leave a great college coaching career for the mistake by the lake? NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.

Hypothetically speaking, if he goes to the NFL he will always an opportunity to go back and coach at the college level regardless of the outcome of his time there.

 

[redman]

Let's see: leave a great college coaching career for the mistake by the lake? NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.

Hypothetically speaking, if he goes to the NFL he will always an opportunity to go back and coach at the college level regardless of the outcome of his time there.

But likely not at tOSU, and it would take a nice break to get a similar situation. Like Carroll at USC, Tressell is at one of the handful of all-time football powerhouses that's located right in the middle of a football recruiting hotbed but that can also recruit nationally. Very few other college programs can legitimately claim all of those things. Unlike Carroll, Tressell has absolutely no NFL background - has he even expressed any desire to coach in the NFL? Why would he leave a premier college program to go coach one of the handful of NFL organizations that is mired in (to be kind) mediocrity?

 

[Kip Dynamite]

The chances of him leaving is about the same chance of me being named his successor at Ohio State.

 

[Frenchy Fuqua]

Outside of Jimmy Johnson there haven't been many successful college coaches recently that went on to win in the NFL. While the Browns management team doesn't appear bright enough to research that, I'd bet Tressel is.

Nick Saban = Nope

Butch Davis= Nope

Steve Spurrier= Nope

At least Saban and Davis had NFL experience, Tressel has none. It's easy to win when you have the best recruits money can buy, much tougher when the playing field is level or in the Browns case below sea-level.

 

[chris1969]

No offense Frenchy, but the list of NFL coaches that came from the college ranks, is about a mile longer than that. Heck Holgrem actually came from the High School ranks if I'm not mistaken.

That being said Tressell is riding a wave right now and I don't see him leaving OSU until he thinks the wave is about to crest. I've heard rumors though that when he does leave, Kip Dynamite is high on the list of replacements. Don't ask me for a link.

 

[GRIDIRON ASSASSIN]

Do they sell sweater vests in dog dung brown?

 

[#1DetroitFan]

This must be a rumor that has been started the U of M booster club. As a Wolverine fan it would be a dream come true.

 

[Frenchy Fuqua]

No offense Frenchy, but the list of NFL coaches that came from the college ranks, is about a mile longer than that. Heck Holgrem actually came from the High School ranks if I'm not mistaken.That being said Tressell is riding a wave right now and I don't see him leaving OSU until he thinks the wave is about to crest. I've heard rumors though that when he does leave, Kip Dynamite is high on the list of replacements. Don't ask me for a link.

Actually Holmgren was an assistant to Bill Walsh and George Seifert in SF for six years before becoming GB head coach. Perhaps I should clear up my statement. In recent years there have been few college head coaches that have gone directly to NFL head coach and had success.

 

[chris1969]

No offense Frenchy, but the list of NFL coaches that came from the college ranks, is about a mile longer than that. Heck Holgrem actually came from the High School ranks if I'm not mistaken.That being said Tressell is riding a wave right now and I don't see him leaving OSU until he thinks the wave is about to crest. I've heard rumors though that when he does leave, Kip Dynamite is high on the list of replacements. Don't ask me for a link.

Actually Holmgren was an assistant to Bill Walsh and George Seifert in SF for six years before becoming GB head coach. Perhaps I should clear up my statement. In recent years there have been few college head coaches that have gone directly to NFL head coach and had success.

Sorry Frenchy, I didn't read enough into it. Your argument has merit.I edited this to avoid making another post.I can only think of 3 coaches that have won National Championships and NFL titlesJJBarry SwitzerPaul BrownThe funny thing about that is the only non-Dallas coach to do it went from OSU to Cleveland.You guys can flame me about who I forgot now.

 

[Kleck.]

Do they sell sweater vests in dog dung brown?

 

[Ben Stiller]

There is no good reason that Tressel would leave OSU for the Browns.

 

[JohnnyU]

Yeah, go the way of Nick Saban (still not written, but it's heading there), Steve Spurrier, and countless others. Let's also not forget Rick Pitino's NBA adventure either. I think Tressel is smarter than that. Let's see, "I can stay at OSU and be loved by everyone in Ohio, make millions of dollars, and probably go down as one of the all-time great college coaches, or I can pack up for a few extra millions and head to the mistake by the lake, and get fired in 4 or fewer seasons.". "I wonder what I should do?"

 

[Family Matters]

I think the idea of Tressel going to the Browns is purely a speculative one started by the media. There is nothing to suggest it has any possibility of happening. Could it happen? Sure because anything can happen. But I can't seriously imagining it happening. But it's fun to speculate and debate the possibilities.

What gets little discussion on this idea is that Tressel loves to coach kids. Not only as a football coach but as a father figure and as a mentor and friend. It's a big part of who he is. He loves recruiting and spending time with the parents of high school kids. He loves teaching about football and the lessons of life.

Fact is, he would not be able to do these things at the NFL level. You get to coach football and that's about all. Many other aspects that he likes about the college environment is absent at the NFL level. I can't imagine that he would be willing to walk away from what he loves, leave it behind and feel good about what he's doing. That's alot for him to give up. Not everyone feels the way he does but these are issues that are important to him.

Because of this I think he stays in college football. Let's not forget, he was willing to stay in Div III football waiting for this opportunity. I'm sure he could have taken other jobs but did not.

 

[BGP]

Why would he leave a premier college program to go coach one of the handful of NFL organizations that is mired in (to be kind) mediocrity?

Because:1. He grew up as a Browns fan.2. he would be following in the footsteps of Paul Brown. Paul Brown used to coach at Ohio State and in fact they won their first national title under him. Paul Brown made the Buckeyes a football powerhouse. Then Paul Brown moved on to the Browns.

 

[CrossEyed]

I thought they were holding that job for Cowher?

 

[BGP]

I think the idea of Tressel going to the Browns is purely a speculative one started by the media. There is nothing to suggest it has any possibility of happening. Could it happen? Sure because anything can happen. But I can't seriously imagining it happening. But it's fun to speculate and debate the possibilities.What gets little discussion on this idea is that Tressel loves to coach kids. Not only as a football coach but as a father figure and as a mentor and friend. It's a big part of who he is. He loves recruiting and spending time with the parents of high school kids. He loves teaching about football and the lessons of life.Fact is, he would not be able to do these things at the NFL level. You get to coach football and that's about all. Many other aspects that he likes about the college environment is absent at the NFL level. I can't imagine that he would be willing to walk away from what he loves, leave it behind and feel good about what he's doing. That's alot for him to give up. Not everyone feels the way he does but these are issues that are important to him.Because of this I think he stays in college football. Let's not forget, he was willing to stay in Div III football waiting for this opportunity. I'm sure he could have taken other jobs but did not.

IF you are correct about what motivates Jim Tressel at this very moment, you are right. But its hard to judge a man's heart and things can change. Perhaps he does love coaching kids but also wants to coach the Browns. Maybe after winning two titles in Columbus, he decides to fulfill even more personal dreams. Everyone is different and he may hold different opinions than you.

 

[BGP]

One thing from my experience is stories like these don't usually get this much coverage unless there's some element of truth to them. I doubt we are getting the entire story, but I do believe one party has reached out to another at some point to have generated this much buzz.

Now, it could be only something like the Browns have reached out to Columbus a few times and been rejected. I don't know. But something is definitely going on.

 

[Kip Dynamite]

No offense Frenchy, but the list of NFL coaches that came from the college ranks, is about a mile longer than that. Heck Holgrem actually came from the High School ranks if I'm not mistaken.That being said Tressell is riding a wave right now and I don't see him leaving OSU until he thinks the wave is about to crest. I've heard rumors though that when he does leave, Kip Dynamite is high on the list of replacements. Don't ask me for a link.

 

[gman74]

Do they sell sweater vests in dog dung brown?