With all the highlights of Ohio State football as of late—a national title, an unreal trio of Heisman candidate quarterbacks, a coach that hasn’t lost in conference and, yes, Mark May leaving ESPN—we may have forgotten the events that transpired just four short years ago.
Jim Tressel resigned as head coach of Ohio State Memorial Day weekend in 2001 amid a scandal involving tattoos and sale of memorabilia. NCAA investigations would follow, players, including Terrell Pryor, would leave for the NFL while others remained suspended at Ohio State. What would follow in the fall was a 6-7 season including the first loss to Michigan since 2003, a bowl game loss to Florida and, ultimately, a one-year postseason ban.