Solon Coach's Idea to Honor Jim Tressel Causes Stir Across State

All Jim McQuaide wanted to do was pay tribute to former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel.

Little did he know that his idea would morph into a statewide debate on the merits of the man who led the Buckeyes to Big Ten dominance before being brought down by scandal.

McQuaide, Solon's varsity football head coach, thought it would be fitting to honor Tressel on the opening night of the 2011 high school football season by having coaches wear white shirts and ties (sweater-vests optional). The idea became an organization-wide reccomendation by the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association, which inducted Tressel into its Hall of Fame July 7.

Tressel had been active in OHSFCA clinics and banquets which helped to raise scholarship funds for the association. The OSU coach was pressured to resign last month and the Buckeyes forfeited all of their 2010 victories, including a Sugar Bowl win over Arkansas, after the university's self-imposed sanctions.

Before McQuaide knew it, the white shirt and tie idea had taken on a life of its own, with people either loving it or hating it.

"It's unbelievable," said McQuaide. "Here's a guy who has done a tremendous amount of things for Ohio high school football and this was just a way to thank him for that. It goes to show how important football is in the state of Ohio."

The OHSFCA board of directors voted on McQuaide's idea and approved it unanimously. The resulting controversy is a fallout from the recent developments at Ohio State and arguments that Tressel should not have taken the fall for NCAA violations or that he covered up those infractions.

"I guess I was a little naive about this," said McQuaide, who has fielded one of Ohio's strongest public school programs at Solon. "I have known him (Tressel) for many years and I thought it would be nice if we said thanks. I have no other motives whatsoever."

It was announced that Tressel would be inducted into the OHSFCA Hall of Fame in June of 2010. Tressel was inducted for his contributions to high school football even though he has never coached on that level. The former Buckeye coach won a national title at Youngstown State before moving on to Columbus, where he added a national crown for OSU.

The passion for Ohio football runs deep and the reaction to McQuaide's simple idea proves that. The Comet coach would not speculate on whether or not Tressel's resignation was a positive or negative for Ohio State's program.

"Enough people are giving their opinion about that situation," said McQuaide. "I've had people say I'm wrong for suggesting this. We all have things we do in our lives that are good and bad. Jim Tressel has helped many high school players and many high school coaches over the years and has been a tremendous advocate for our association and football in our state."

After a day of giving newspaper and television interviews, McQuaide's high opinion of high school and college football in Ohio was reinforced.

"High school and college football in Ohio is a very big deal," he said. "I understand this has been a hot topic for a lot of people."

The white shirt and tie look for coaches harkens back to an era when many coaches, including McQuaide's father, wore shirts and ties on the sidelines. Many of those ties may be loosened for the steamy late August season openers.

As a member of the OHSFCA Hall of Fame, Tressel joins previous Hall members with a plaque permanently displayed at Ohio Stadium. "Our Hall of Fame is there because of him," said McQuaide.

Ultimately, each head coach will decide whether or not to join in on the tribute to Tressel. It is only a reccomendation, not a requirement. "If a coach doesn't want to do it I'm not going to get mad at them," said McQuaide.

One way or another, the topic has some people fit to be tied.