Jim Tressel Biography

James Patrick Tressel, born in 1952, is an American politician who served as Ohio's 67th lieutenant governor starting in 2025. A member of the Republican Party, Tressel previously held the role of president at Youngstown State University from 2014 to 2023. Before transitioning into higher education and public service, Tressel served as head football coach for the Youngstown State Penguins and later the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1986 to 2010. During his tenure as Ohio State’s 22nd head football coach, Tressel led teams to three BCS National Championship Games, with the 2002 squad achieving a historic 14–0 season record. After completing his studies at Baldwin–Wallace, Tressel began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Akron. At the conclusion of the 1985 season, Jim Tressel departed his role as assistant head coach at Ohio State to assume the head coaching position at Youngstown State University. In 1999, Tressel’s team made its ninth appearance in the Division I-AA playoffs, ultimately losing to a Paul Johnson-led Georgia Southern squad in the title game.