Like every coach, regardless of sport or level, greatness isn't measured in wins and losses, or play calling. It is defined by having a meaningful impact in other people lives through athletics. When Jim Tressel was introduced to the media as Ohio State's 22nd head football coach, he laid for a few simple basic philosophies for both football and for life:

• "We will stress academics, athletics and community responsibility."
  
  
• "The two greatest days in our student-athletes lives should be the day they walk across the stage to receive their diploma and the day they slip a championship ring on their finger."
  
  
• "There's only one reason to miss class, and that's because of a death in the family…your own."
  
  
• "Hopefully, young people all over this state and all over this country and this world will look at the way our young people do it and our coaches do it and our faculty do it, and they'll want to do it just that way. That's what leadership is all about.''
  
  
• "Players don't really care how much you know until they know how much you care."

It is one thing to say all the right things, and completely another to follow through with them. That is true leadership. Under Jim Tressel, 97 players have earned Academic-All Big Ten honors, most in the conference.

Another 180 have been tabbed as OSU Scholar Athletes, with the number rising each year. In the fall quarter of the 2005 academic school year, 56 players had a grade-point-average of 3.0 or higher with a team GPA of 2.81. Brandon Schnittker, Anthony Gonzalez and Stan White, junior all received perfect 4.0 marks.

At last June's commencement ceremonies at Ohio State, 11 of Tressel's players earned degrees (to go with their championship rings), including Will Smith who finished his course-work after a season in the NFL. Brandon Mitchell earned his undergraduate degree in three years and will attend grad school over his final two seasons with the Bucks.

On the field, it's hard to argue with the Buckeyes' success. OSU has a 50-13 record over the past five seasons, including a perfect 14-0 ledger in 2002 on the way to the national championship and three BCS wins at the Fiesta Bowl.
To lead means that others must follow. Borrowing the trait of composure from its head coach, Ohio State is 17-9 in games decided by a touchdown or less. Whether it is on the sidelines or in life, Buckeyes have become adept in dealing with pressure situations.

Although most of time it goes unnoticed, OSU players are active in both the campus and Central Ohio communities. They have participated in academic projects with the university, and donated their time to several worthy causes.

Each Buckeye is given a "winner's manual" filled with inspirational quotes and literature that is designed to make them better players, and more importantly, better people. Coach Tressel also assigns the senior class a book to read each year, which the seniors must pass along the details and message onto the underclassmen.

Jim Tressel brought these values with him to Ohio State from Youngstown State. A leader must learn how to lead, however, and Coach Tressel had the one of the best mentors in that department, his father Lee.