Overview
- Jim Tressel was enshrined in the Ohio Stadium Ring of Honor on Sept. 5 during Ohio State’s season opener against Ball State, with a permanent plaque placed on the C‑Deck next to Woody Hayes.
- He is the third coach honored in the Ring of Honor, joining Paul Brown and Woody Hayes, and this was the first addition to the display since 2014.
- Ohio State covered Tressel’s plaque with a banner styled like his signature sweater vest for the unveiling and gave the first 1,500 students free matching rally towels while offering additional towels for purchase at specified stadium locations.
- Tressel led the Buckeyes from 2001 to 2010, winning the 2002 national championship and six Big Ten titles, and he resigned in 2011 after investigations showed he sought to conceal NCAA violations in which players traded memorabilia for tattoos.
- The ceremony highlights how the university and fans are reframing Tressel’s legacy by foregrounding his on‑field success and public profile as a former Youngstown State president and Ohio lieutenant governor while the 2011 scandal remains part of his record.