Tressel headed back to Akron in non-coaching role

Akron, OH – Former Ohio State head football coach Jim Tressel has been hired at the University of Akron in an administrative role.

Tressel, who received a graduate degree from Akron in 1977, will not work in the athletic department. He was named vice president of strategic engagement, a newly-created position that will seek to improve student life and promote community outreach at the Ohio school.

"I have great memories of my time at UA and, more importantly, I feel a real sense of family when I'm on this campus," said Tressel. "I'm looking forward to being part of the spirit of innovation that drives the University of Akron."

Tressel, who resigned at Ohio State last May amid an NCAA investigation into rules violations within the program, spent the 2011 football season with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts as a game day consultant to review replays.

After Colts head coach Jim Caldwell was fired in January, Tressel met with owner Jim Irsay about the position that eventually went to Chuck Pagano.

Tressel began his coaching career at Akron as a graduate assistant in 1975. He was promoted to an assistant the following year and spent three seasons with the Zips as coach of the quarterbacks, receivers and running backs.

The Ohio native spent 10 highly successful years as head coach at Ohio State, guiding the Buckeyes to a record of 106-22. The Buckeyes won or shared seven Big Ten titles and captured the 2002 national championship under Tressel.

His troubles in Columbus began in December 2010 when the school announced that five players, including star quarterback Terrelle Pryor, would be suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season for receiving improper benefits in 2009.

In January 2011, Ohio State officials learned that Tressel was informed of the potential violations the previous April in an email from a former Buckeye. Tressel did not inform the school of the possible transgressions and also signed an NCAA compliance form that indicated he knew of no potential violations within his program.

After receiving an initial two-game suspension that was increased by three games to equal the length of his players' penalties, Tressel resigned on May 30.

In December, the Buckeyes were slapped with a variety of NCAA sanctions that included a 2012 postseason ban for the football program, which is now guided by Urban Meyer.

Tressel was also given a show-cause penalty, which would make it difficult for him to coach at any NCAA institution.

His new role will begin in May and will pay him a base salary of $200,000.