Is Jim Tressel on the verge of being fired as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes football program? Depends on how big of a deal you think it is for Gene Smith, Buckeyes Athletic Director AND chairman of the NCAA’s Division I men’s basketball committee, to return to Columbus to deal with the allegations.
Smith’s committee is responsible for choosing the 68 teams in the NCAA Tornament and with Selection Sunday just around the corner it seems a bit odd that Smith would leave New York and head back to Columbus simply to say Tressel knew nothing about improper benefits being given to five Buckeyes players including quarterback Terrelle Pryor.
Maybe he is coming back to sit at Tressel’s side tonight and back the head coach that has won 106 games during his 10 years with the Buckeyes. Or, he could come back to say he will continue gathering information while placing Tressel on some kind of administrative leave.
Whatever the case, to say this is bad news for the Buckeyes football program is the understatement of the year. All eyes and ears will be on that press conference tonight at 7PM.