The old dogs may be retired, but Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is keeping them nearby this year. He's given them an office to share within the Ohio State Athletic Department. What will they do? I have no idea but it's a nice gesture and a way to connect with the recent Buckeye past.
This article's author suggests it's also a way to cover for Tressel's perceived shortcomings.
t's obvious, isn't it? Cover your weaknesses with strengths.That's a little much, but obviously he's nailed the strengths of both coaches. Tressel's managed quite well on his own winning one championship and playing in another.
Against Florida in the national championship game, Ohio State played like someone spiked its Gatorade with NyQuil. The Buckeyes displayed all the emotion of a Maytag repairman.
So Tress solves the problem by hiring Bruce, the fiery former Ohio State coach who never met a topic he couldn't turn into a motivational testimony...
...Across the room, John Cooper will be watching game film. If Tress is smart, it will be high school game film.
Coop couldn't beat Michigan, but he could beat the pants off most coaches when it came to evaluating and recruiting high school talent. And after the non-top 10 recruiting class that Ohio State coaches just brought in, the Buckeyes could use a guy like Coop to win over future blue chippers.
So you have to hand it to Tress. Problem: motivation. Solution: Bruce. Problem: recruiting. Solution: Coop.
That said, Bruce's influence is particularly interesting given his fiery, rambunctious demeanor. As noted in the story, he shares a connection to Florida coach Urban Meyer. He also mentored a young Pete Carroll (1978-1979 at Iowa State). It's not a stretch to say Bruce had a lasting influence on Carroll given Carroll's well documented charisma and energy, meaning Bruce has had a meaningful impact on three of the last four college football championship teams.
Not bad for an old dog.
H/T: The Wiz
