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11-22-2006, 12:56 AM
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sportswriter
CLEVELAND - Bo Schembechler had been a part of Jim Tressel's football life since Tressel started as a graduate assistant at the University of Akron in 1975.
Tressel met Schembechler when Akron coach Jim Dennison sent Tressel to study at Michigan every spring.
``Bo was a Barberton guy, I was coaching at Akron, Jim knew him very well. He opened his doors wide open,'' Tressel said of Schembechler. ``Here I was a 22-, 23-year-old assistant coach and I'm sitting in meeting rooms listening to Bo Schembechler and Gary Moeller and Jerry Hanlon and Tom Reed.''
The connection continued through the years, spurred at least in part by Tressel's father, Lee, the longtime Baldwin-Wallace football coach.
``He was always there for us,'' Tressel said of Schembechler. ``My dad always admired the Woody Hayes legacy group. If you look at Woody's family tree, Bo was one of the biggest branches. He was part of my life.''
That's why Ohio State coach Tressel attended a memorial service Tuesday in Ann Arbor, Mich., to celebrate the life of legendary Wolverines coach Schembechler, who died Friday at age 77.
Accompanying Tressel were two former OSU coaches, Earle Bruce and John Cooper, and Buckeyes offensive coordinator Jim Bollman. Tressel said Crisler Arena was set up for former players and colleagues to talk with the Schembechler family and ``help everyone celebrate Bo Schembechler's impact.''
Tressel spoke fondly of Schembechler on Tuesday night at the OSU Alumni Club of Greater Cleveland's 55th annual football appreciation banquet at Windows on the River in the Flats. Also attending were receivers Anthony Gonzalez, Ted Ginn Jr. and Brian Robiskie and defensive linemen David Patterson and Robert Rose.
Tressel said that after he left Akron for Miami in 1979, he still felt the presence of Schembechler.
``When I went to Miami, I was working for Tom Reed, who had been an assistant for Bo,'' Tressel said. ``Just like when you work for Earle, there's 54 Woody stories a day, when you're working for Tom. there's 100 Bo stories a day. Plus we'd go to spring practice. Bo was a Miami guy, he was part of us.''
The encounters continued when Tressel went to Syracuse, where he'd run into Schembechler on recruiting trips; when he went to Ohio State -- ``We're competing against a program that Bo built''; and when he went to Youngstown State.
One year Schembechler was honorary head coach of the Penquins' spring game against one of Tressel's toughest Division I-AA foes, Erk Russell of Georgia Southern.
``He talked with our players and lectured our high school clinic,'' Tressel said of Schembechler. ``At our clinic, we had probably twice as many high school coaches come than if it had been just us.''
With No. 1 OSU prevailing 42-39 over No. 2 Michigan Saturday to earn a trip to the BCS national championship game, Tressel said he could imagine what Schembechler and Hayes were saying.
``I'm sure they were both giving us the business about all those points and all those passes,'' Tressel said.
No rest
Since Saturday, Tressel's life has been a whirlwind. He spent that night and all day Sunday with a huge group of recruits. Monday he met with the team and started planning for the Jan. 8 game in Glendale, Ariz. Tuesday he traveled to Ann Arbor and Cleveland.
``If I've had time to think, I don't remember it,'' Tressel said. ``We're just putting one foot in front of the other right now.''
New Year's in the desert
The Buckeyes can't check into their hotel in the Phoenix area for the championship game until Jan. 2 because it will be occupied by a Fiesta Bowl team. But Tressel still plans to take them to Arizona early. Gonzalez guessed they would leave Columbus on Dec. 30. ``We'll let our kids go home shortly before Christmas, then we'll get out there shortly before New Year's,'' Tressel said. ``I always like them to have seven days away.''
Beacon Journal sportswriter
CLEVELAND - Bo Schembechler had been a part of Jim Tressel's football life since Tressel started as a graduate assistant at the University of Akron in 1975.
Tressel met Schembechler when Akron coach Jim Dennison sent Tressel to study at Michigan every spring.
``Bo was a Barberton guy, I was coaching at Akron, Jim knew him very well. He opened his doors wide open,'' Tressel said of Schembechler. ``Here I was a 22-, 23-year-old assistant coach and I'm sitting in meeting rooms listening to Bo Schembechler and Gary Moeller and Jerry Hanlon and Tom Reed.''
The connection continued through the years, spurred at least in part by Tressel's father, Lee, the longtime Baldwin-Wallace football coach.
``He was always there for us,'' Tressel said of Schembechler. ``My dad always admired the Woody Hayes legacy group. If you look at Woody's family tree, Bo was one of the biggest branches. He was part of my life.''
That's why Ohio State coach Tressel attended a memorial service Tuesday in Ann Arbor, Mich., to celebrate the life of legendary Wolverines coach Schembechler, who died Friday at age 77.
Accompanying Tressel were two former OSU coaches, Earle Bruce and John Cooper, and Buckeyes offensive coordinator Jim Bollman. Tressel said Crisler Arena was set up for former players and colleagues to talk with the Schembechler family and ``help everyone celebrate Bo Schembechler's impact.''
Tressel spoke fondly of Schembechler on Tuesday night at the OSU Alumni Club of Greater Cleveland's 55th annual football appreciation banquet at Windows on the River in the Flats. Also attending were receivers Anthony Gonzalez, Ted Ginn Jr. and Brian Robiskie and defensive linemen David Patterson and Robert Rose.
Tressel said that after he left Akron for Miami in 1979, he still felt the presence of Schembechler.
``When I went to Miami, I was working for Tom Reed, who had been an assistant for Bo,'' Tressel said. ``Just like when you work for Earle, there's 54 Woody stories a day, when you're working for Tom. there's 100 Bo stories a day. Plus we'd go to spring practice. Bo was a Miami guy, he was part of us.''
The encounters continued when Tressel went to Syracuse, where he'd run into Schembechler on recruiting trips; when he went to Ohio State -- ``We're competing against a program that Bo built''; and when he went to Youngstown State.
One year Schembechler was honorary head coach of the Penquins' spring game against one of Tressel's toughest Division I-AA foes, Erk Russell of Georgia Southern.
``He talked with our players and lectured our high school clinic,'' Tressel said of Schembechler. ``At our clinic, we had probably twice as many high school coaches come than if it had been just us.''
With No. 1 OSU prevailing 42-39 over No. 2 Michigan Saturday to earn a trip to the BCS national championship game, Tressel said he could imagine what Schembechler and Hayes were saying.
``I'm sure they were both giving us the business about all those points and all those passes,'' Tressel said.
No rest
Since Saturday, Tressel's life has been a whirlwind. He spent that night and all day Sunday with a huge group of recruits. Monday he met with the team and started planning for the Jan. 8 game in Glendale, Ariz. Tuesday he traveled to Ann Arbor and Cleveland.
``If I've had time to think, I don't remember it,'' Tressel said. ``We're just putting one foot in front of the other right now.''
New Year's in the desert
The Buckeyes can't check into their hotel in the Phoenix area for the championship game until Jan. 2 because it will be occupied by a Fiesta Bowl team. But Tressel still plans to take them to Arizona early. Gonzalez guessed they would leave Columbus on Dec. 30. ``We'll let our kids go home shortly before Christmas, then we'll get out there shortly before New Year's,'' Tressel said. ``I always like them to have seven days away.''