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Tressel Returns to Valley for 'Champions' Dinner
BOARDMAN, Ohio – Don’t count on seeing Jim Tressel’s trademark sweater vest on the sidelines of a football field again – at least in a coaching position – but don’t rule it out, either.
“I’m old enough to know that you never say never, but right now, that’s not where I’m leaning,” Tressel said.
Tressel spoke to attendees of the annual “Champions Among Us” dinner hosted by the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley at Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center here. Now serving as vice president of strategic management at the Univeristy of Akron, Tressel is more familiar here as the four-time Division 1-AA national-champion coach of the Youngstown State University football team during the 1990s. He subsequently went on to coach Ohio State University’s team to a Division 1-A national title as well.
Before taking his position in Akron, rumors floated about him taking a job in the professional football league. When pressed further about his future in football, Tressel claimed to be content in his current role but would not rule anything out.
“I suppose maybe when the grass gets mowed and the lights go on Friday night in the high school stadiums, who knows what emotions that will elicit,” he said.
In his new position, the former coach is charged with the task of connecting the community to the university.
“So far, it’s been working a lot with the planning and trying to figure out how we can do what we do even better,” Tressel said. “The University of Akron has been extraordinary in the growth they’ve had and what they’ve done. We want to try to help them take the next step.”
Part of his new job is making sure the time students spend at UA turns into something that’s going to be beneficial as they leave, he said.
“I’ve enjoyed every day, but it’s the same as coaching, not enough hours in the day,” he remarked.
“Everything we’ve been working on is what we did with our 120 kids at YSU or Ohio State,” he said. “It’s no different trying to help them reach their potential.”
Still comparing his role as a football coach with that of his new position, he said he still tries to bring passion to the area.
“I see our passion at the University of Akron as being a regional passion with collaboration and partnerships everywhere whether it is with the schools, businesses, or other universities,” Tressel said. “We have a great collaboration with NEOUCOM; Youngstown, Kent and Akron have a chance to provide health care for people all over our region and state and all the rest.”
Copyright 2012 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.