 With a winning tradition at Youngstown State (4 NCAA Division I-AA National Champions from 1986 to 2000) Tressel, formerly an assistant coach at Ohio State for Earle Bruce, was an Ohioan who was considered to be appreciative of the Buckeyes' football tradition.Although there were some doubts whether Tressel could repeat his earlier success at the Division 1A level, most fans and alumni met the coaching change with enthusiasm.The day of his hiring, Jim Tressel, speaking to fans and students at a Buckeye basketball game, made a prophetic implication that he would lead the Buckeyes to beat Michigan in Ann Arbor the following November.