Mangini Could Hear Fate by Monday
January 1, 2011Cavaliers Preview Game #33: Cavs at Bulls
January 1, 2011
The Sugar Bowl is coming Tuesday, and it that should be a cheerful occasion for Ohio State University fans everywhere. Previously, it appeared the game would be a stepping stone to the NFL for several key underclassmen, but that was until head coach Jim Tressel took control.
Quarterback Terrelle Pryor, running back Boom Herron, wide receiver DeVier Posey, left tackle Mike Adams and defensive lineman Soloman Thomas, all juniors, were suspended by the NCAA for next season’s first five games, but remained eligible to play Tuesday. Thus, most assumed that it would be the final game for nearly all those players in a Buckeye uniform.
But as it turned out, Tressel demanded a promise from the players before even letting them travel down to New Orleans for the game. The players will not be punished in terms of playing time Tuesday, and all will be returning next season for their senior years.
Take your own stand as you will about the character of the players involved and the timing/nature of the NCAA’s punishment. But it is undeniable that with this swift ultimatum, Tressel maintained the integrity of the Ohio State football program for many years to come.
Pryor, Herron and Posey were three of the four main offensive weapons for the team in the 2010 season. Even without their presence and that of senior wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher for the early part of next season, OSU will be a better program because of their promises to return. It will clearly help the team on the field once they return, but mostly it speaks volumes about their ability to take responsibility for their actions.
Doug Lesmerises of the Plain Dealer wrote about the incident and the subsequent promises to return, and got the following quote from Tressel about the deal that was made:
“They would not be here if that weren’t the case,” Tressel said [about the players traveling to New Orleans in return for promises to stay for their senior season]. “We didn’t think it would be fair to the NCAA or fair to the other people involved in the process if someone were able to participate and have no consequences down the road.”
And that’s really what it comes down to in the end. OSU will live through the first five games next season and will find other playmakers on the offensive end to make up for the suspension. Joe Bauserman, the current backup as a junior, and highly touted incoming freshman Braxton Miller will compete for the starting quarterback to start the year and Tressel will determine the merits of whomever deserves to be the starter after Pryor’s return. Waiting behind Herron and Posey are current freshmen Jaamal Berry, Carlos Hyde and Corey Brown, along with many more names certain to jump into the conversation.
So enjoy the Sugar Bowl Buckeye fans, and know that because of Tressel, the OSU program is always in good hands and will advance past this scandal in due time. This was as good as it gets for moving on and being accountable, and we should be proud of this promise.
(Photo above via AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
16 Comments
This is what I like about Tressel, say what you might about his coaching abillity and play not to lose style but when it comes down to honor (I hesititate to use that word for a sports persona), I personally believe that there is no one better in college football
Man I hate when I’m cynical. I’ll wait until the deadline to declare has passed before I start patting people on their backs.
Keeping the integrity would be banning them from the Sugar Bowl game, not demanding an empty, non-legally enforceable “promise” from a bunch of kids with little character to begin with.
Look, I’m not an OSU fan at all. In fact, I despise them. I do, however, think Tressel is an overall great guy and a good (but not great) coach. This is just not the shining Tressel moment OSU fans seem to think it is.
If Pryor ever suits up for OSU again after the Sugar Bowl, I will drive the 2 hours from Cleveland to Columbus and streak down High Street
I don’t mean to post hijack here but when will we start seeing write-ups on the Buckeyes Mens BB team?
It’s kinda hard to ignore we are ranked 2nd in the nation while dismantling teams left and right.
Other than that, another great write up…Go Bucks!
Honestly, I feel like coming back for his senior year is Pryor’s only shot at doing what he has said he wants most…being an NFL quarterback. In my opinion, if he leaves next year, he is a 5th or 6th round pick as an “athlete” at best. If he can somehow magically take his starting role back, post suspension (not likely, has anyone seen Braxton Miller?) and take us to a great bowl game with his newly honed skills at QB then MAYBE he gets a shot to make it there in the NFL.
@5
Totally agree. Especially due to the fact that him being drafted in the 5th or 6th round means he will be converted to another gimmick position for sure.
To tell you the truth I am way more excited to see Miller at the beginning of the year than the thought of Pryor coming back mid-season.
Child please.
@ #6 I’d be shocked if Miller suits up to start the year. It’ll be Guiton.
This whole ‘pledge’ thing is iffy at best – it’s wholly non-binding and just comes off horribly forced.
@ Denny
No doubt Guiton is next in line to take the throne…can’t help but hope for a blowout or two that let’s Miller see a snap or two.
I’d just like to know if we did pull off the HS QB coup by landing both of them.
I don’t want to see Miller play a single down next year – no need to burn his redshirt in a blowout. I think it’d be silly; even he’s said that’s the plan.
This whole thing seems really phony to me.
If there is no draft next year b/c of the lockout this is a totally meaningless gesture. And if there is a draft I bet one or more of these knuckleheads still declares.
It’s not as if Tressel decided on the NCAA suspensions. It’s his way of not condoning a possible lack of punishment.
Only position that comes out inexperienced, besides QB is receiver. Not sure Philly Brown is a #1, even if it is mostly sisters of the poor. (Sorry Dr. Gee but I had too)
It’ll be up to Ohio State to salvage the reputation of the Big 10 after that conferences pitiful performnce yesterday.
Good thing Tressel’s making sure Pryor is staying on the team, especially now that we’ve found out that he had no “wrong-doing” with the multiple cars he was driving around Columbus. What a joke. Tressel needs these guys off the team, not on it for another year.
One or more of these guys may break the promise they made to Tress, and if they do, so what?
Herron is the odds on favorite to declare and I’ll be quite surprised if he doesn’t.
As for Pryor and him driving loaner cars, my dealership ALWAYS gives me a loaner when they are working on my car. Why is that so hard to believe for some of you? Am I ineligible to post now b/c I was given a loaner by my dealership more than once?
Pryor will have $$$ soon enough and I’m sure the dealership may have loaned him a nicer car than you or I might get but there’s nothing unethical about that or no rules against it. The dealership is hoping to get TP’s business when he has $$$ and is looking to buy a phat ride.
This is a joke of an ultimatum and did not maintain any type of ‘character’ for the program at all. Of course the players are going to say yes they’ll return in this circumstance, but if one goes out has an outstanding Sugar Bowl game to the point that his draft stock begins to rise to unexpected levels, there isn’t a thing that will hold him back from declaring most likely. On the flip side, they all go out and perform so-so and come back because their draft stocks aren’t as high as desired, then everyone is going to be claiming that they are good character guys because they made a commitment to return and stood by it. Give me a break!!