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Ohio State gives Tressel $1 million raise

By Brian Kollars | Friday, August 29, 2008, 11:34 AM

Got this e-mail today from the Sports Information department at Ohio State. OSU has reworked Jim Tressel’s contract, bumping him up to $3.5 million in total compensation next year.

The news release …

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel has agreed to contract revisions that will make him the highest-paid football coach in the Big Ten Conference, OSU director of athletics Gene Smith announced Friday morning.

Under the amended contract, Tressel’s compensation increase will be phased in during the current year and will be $3.5 million next year, more than $1 million annually than the previous agreement. He will receive annual increases of 3-4% over the remainder of the term. Tressel is under contract at Ohio State until January 31, 2013.

“Because of our overwhelming regard for Coach Tressel’s contributions to Ohio State and our football program, we made a commitment toward keeping him No. 1 in the Big Ten and among the top ranks of coaches nationally, and this revision achieves that goal,” said Smith. “Based upon known compensation figures, this agreement will place him in the Top 10 nationally among collegiate coaches.”

“It is incredible the commitment that Dr. Gee and Gene Smith have made to us,” said Tressel. “There is no place in the world we would rather be, and we will work very hard to serve Ohio State. The goal that Ellen and I have is to make sure these blessings make a difference to others.”

The new agreement also updates language in a number of other areas, including youth summer camps, termination for cause provisions, jet hours for recruiting and personal usage, and other items in conjunction with the amended compensation package. As head coach, Tressel is provided opportunities for additional compensation from sources outside the University. All coaching salaries are paid entirely through athletics department funds; no public funds are used.

Tressel begins his eighth season as head coach of the Buckeyes; he holds a 73-16 record at OSU, and is one of only four active coaches to have more than 200 career wins (208-73-2). His OSU teams have played in three national championship games, winning the 2002 national title, and his Buckeyes have earned four Big Ten titles. Eleven of his players have been first-round NFL draft picks, and Tressel has coached 44 first team all-Big Ten players and 153 Big Ten all-academic selections.

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Boeckman one of four OSU captains

By Brian Kollars | Friday, August 22, 2008, 03:33 PM

St. Henry grad Todd Boeckman is one of four captains on the Ohio State football team this year. The others: Malcolm Jenkins, James Laurinaitis and Brian Robiskie.

“I’m extremely thankful and honored by the confidence shown by my teammates in my leadership,” said Boeckman, a senior quarterback. “It’s a great feeling to have that type of role in this football program. You’re part of something much bigger than yourself.”

More comments from an OSU news release:

“When you think back on all the past captains at Ohio State, you realize what a great honor and opportunity this is,” said Jenkins, a senior cornerback from Piscataway (N.J.) High School. “This team is a very special collection of remarkable people; that’s why I came back for another year — to be around these guys.”

“It’s unbelievable to have the chance to represent the type of player and people we have on this team as their captain for another year,” said Laurinaitis, a senior linebacker from Wayzata High School in Hamel, Minn., who also served as a team captain in 2007. “With the number of outstanding leaders we have on our team, I will work to lead everyone in every way I can, on and off the field.”

Previous two-year captains: Richard T. Ellis (1891-92), Archie Griffin (1974-75), Glen Cobb (1981-82), Thomas Johnson (1984-85), Joe Cooper (2000-01), Steve Bellisari (2000-01).

“First and foremost, it humbles you. To have the respect of your teammates in such a way is definitely an honor,” said Robiskie, a senior who attended Chagrin Falls High School in Chagrin Falls. “The tradition of guys who have led this team in the past shows you what an honor it is.”

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Still think Terrelle Pryor’s an egomaniac?

By Kyle Nagel | Friday, August 8, 2008, 10:22 AM

No one was more frustrated last February than the reporters who clogged the Jeannette High School gymnasium hoping to find out — not for team support, but for end of media frenzy — where Terrelle Pryor would go to college.

On signing day, of course, he didn’t choose. We met in the gym for him to tell us he was hoping to make more visits. The rumor continues to be that he wanted to pick Ohio State but his father wanted him to consider Penn State a little bit more.

Radio talk shows around Pittsburgh buzzed that day with people criticizing the high school senior and nation’s No. 1 football recruit for just wanting more attention. They said he couldn’t stand to give up the spotlight. (Question: The photo above is an example of the spotlight. Would you really want to keep this as long as possible?).

Pryor talked reporters for the first time yesterday at Ohio State’s football media day. I looked to Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch this morning for the rational view on Pryor’s first meeting, which proves the OSU freshman isn’t a spoiled brat:

Some answer samples:

“I’m not a celebrity.”

“Yeah, I talk to my mom and dad every day.”

Was Pryor surprised to be getting all these questions when he hasn’t played a down of college football? “Yeah,” he said softly. “I’m wondering why.”

“There’s all these other big players and I’m the one getting hounded.”

Have guys told you what the Ohio State -Michigan game is like? Pryor smiled. “I want to see what the first game is like.”

Yes, Pryor did drag out his recruitment more than most. And there was a lot of media coverage. But how would it work for you if, while making an important job decision, you were asked about it 30 times a day? Do you think you might seem like a waffler or indecisive?

We don’t just get asked about out lives that much. He does. And he’s handling it well.

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Saine not making contact, and the Buckeyes need him

By Kyle Nagel | Thursday, August 7, 2008, 10:55 AM

This from The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer’s OSU practice report yesterday:

Running back Brandon Saine wore a yellow jersey that signifies limited practice contact and didn’t seem to work into most of the drills with the other running backs. Jim Tressel did not mention Saine when asked about injuries on Monday.

The non-mention is good news, because Ohio State needs Saine as a main weapon this season. During the spring, Tressel acknowledged that the team was moving Saine around to different assignments because coaches planned to use him in many different ways.

Not a gifted straight-ahead runner, Saine is best used out in the open. That could be on sweeps, short passes or other ways of getting him the ball in open space. He would be a gifted slot receiver.

Even though the Buckeyes are loaded everywhere, Saine is still a key component to the offense. So, it would be helpful to get that yellow jersey off him soon.

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Alter’s Roark walks on at Ohio State

By Kyle Nagel | Wednesday, August 6, 2008, 01:46 PM

Add Alter’s Chris Roark to the list of area players walking on to Ohio State’s football team.

That list also includes Tom Ingham, a junior defensive end from Centerville who was noted several times last season in coach Jim Tressel’s weekly news conference for his work on the scout team.

Roark is listed as a wide receiver, but he was primarily a running back at Alter, part of the powerful backfield that, at one point, contained Michael Shaw. He’s not on the roaster posted at the Ohio State athletics website, but he is on the roster posted on Tressel’s site.

As far as the treatment of walk-ons, Ryan Lukens praises Tressel:

“With coach Tressel, if you are on the team you are on the team,” Ryan Lukens said. “He knows everyone, whether you are a walk-on or a starter. I remember that first year being amazed that he knew every kid, their hometown, their high school, their high school coach, everything. He’s just amazing with that stuff.”

And what can Roark do to get himself noticed by the coaches? This advice from former successful walk-on Drew Norman:

I’d say probably my work ethic. You hear all the time about the guy who wears his hard hat and just brings his lunch pail to work every day. I’d like to think I was that way. I always spent extra time in the weight room and I always did well on the conditioning test. If they ever needed volunteers for anything, I was willing to help.

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The OSU arrest list is, indeed, imposing

By Kyle Nagel | Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 04:00 PM

Passion can drive people to very committed research.

Case in point, the blog Michigan Against the World. These three fellas spent some time looking up how many Ohio State football players have been arrested since Jim Tressel became coach.

The result is an extended entry that explains Doug Worthington’s was the 30th arrest in that time.

Ohio State fans would tell you to consider the source, but each arrest is explained, from cornerback Derek Ross on March 21, 2001, to Worthington on July 26.

Granted, we have no matching list for Michigan’s program for comparison, but I imagine these guys, if we asked about that, would joke that Ohio State fans don’t have the motivation to compile such a list.

So, for now, we have one for the Buckeyes.

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Jake Ballard is shrinking

By Kyle Nagel | Wednesday, July 30, 2008, 08:00 AM

This is Jake Ballard last season. Then, this is Jake Ballard today.

Same photo. Same team description.

The difference? He’s 1 inch shorter.

For some reason, the tight end from Springboro was listed at 6 feet 7 last season and is now 6-6 on the Ohio State roster. Maybe the seasons sitting below Rory Nicol on the depth chart have taken a physical toll, as well.

Regardless of his height, Ballard is a respected guy in the Buckeyes plans this season as the tight end position is described as undervalued.

So says ESPN.com:

Two experienced tight ends return — fifth-year senior Rory Nicol (6-5, 252) had 16 catches last season, and junior Jake Ballard (6-6, 256), who is emerging as a solid red zone target.

And Foxsports.com:

There’s plenty of experience returning with promising backups who got their feet wet last year, and two excellent tight ends in Rory Nicol and Jake Ballard an unappreciated twosome who should be used more in the passing game.

He’s good. Just shorter.

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