Well, we’d been looking for an NFL hook to the stunning-but-not-shocking decision of Ohio State coach Jim Tressel to resign. Thanks to Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com, we’ve found one.
Amid rumors that former Florida coach Urban Meyer will be the new coach of the Buckeyes after the 2011 season, there’s a name with strong NFL connections that could enter the fray.
Yes, Jon Gruden.
Freeman thinks that Gruden will be interested, even if everyone involved issues consistent denials. Although Meyer’s accomplishments at Florida make him a no-brainer, Meyer’s on-again, off-again health problems could make him a less-than-ideal option for a program that prides itself on year-in, year-out consistency. Since Woody Hayes threw a haymaker at Clemson linebacker Charlie Bauman in the 1978 Gator Bowl, the Bucks have had only three coaches: Earl Bruce, John Cooper, and Tressel.
So, in the end, the primary factors in choosing the next coach at Ohio State likely will be a genuine willingness to stick around for the long haul -- and the coaching skills and abilities to do so.