In the item identifying the potential coaching candidates for 2012, a category was overlooked: Former college coaches who have never coached at the NFL level in any capacity other than to tell the head coach when to throw the challenge flag.
And there’s only one coach who ever has occupied that category: Jim Tressel.
Here’s a theory that I’ve mentioned a time or two on PFT Live, and that also was included during the most recent episode of NBC SportsTalk. Once the Colts have “clinched” the Andrew Luck pick, the Colts will be more inclined to fire coach Jim Caldwell in the hopes of nudging the team away from its 0-16 path and/or creating the impression that the team is actually trying to win.
Of the various coaches employed by the team, the coach who isn’t actually coaching is the most intriguing name.
Why not give Tressel an audition? His misdeeds in Columbus seem trivial in relation to ongoing scandals at Penn State and Syracuse. If Tressel can finagle a win or two after being thrust into the job, he should be given consideration for the job in 2012.
All he’d need is a royal blue sweater vest.