Titles by Jim Tressel

In this powerful and book, the former players and people who know Jim Tressel well reveal in never-before-told stories how this unique coach's philosophy on football and life impacted their own lives in profound ways. More than 50 individuals provide in-depth interviews, including former Youngstown State athletic director Joe Malmisur, A. J. Hawk, Craig Krenzel, John Cooper, Troy Smith, and Archie Griffin, to name but a few. A dynamic and dramatic book that offers a unique perspective on Tressel the coach, the mentor, and the friend, these stories teach valuable lessons on working hard on and off the field.

The expectations, and the stakes, are always sky-high when Ohio State University prepares to begin a new football season. For much of this decade, the Buckeyes have entered the season with very real and realistic national championship hopes. Those hopes became a reality in 2002, and in subsequent years were dashed only by the slightest of margins. Then came 2006, when the expectations again were nothing less than a perfect season and a BCS bowl berth for the national title. OSU's associate athletic director Steve Snapp knew this back in the spring of 2006, which is when he began to pen his personal diary of one of the most memorable seasons in Buckeyes history. His insider's account of the magical 12-0 regular season and the stunning loss to Florida in the national championship game gives fans a rare birds-eye view of the blood, sweat, tears, and love that go into the making of a championship-caliber college football team. Follow the historic season from Snapp's personal accounts that recollect the preseason hype, the spring practices, the non-conference schedule, and then the rigorous, climactic Big Ten slate that ended dramatically with the annual showdown against Michigan. Diary of an Unforgettable Season also details the 51 days between games and OSU's mental and physical preparation for a national title game that went horribly awry. Readers will not only feel like they've been through a big-time college football season, they will also share the bumps, bruises, scars, triumphs, and disappointments that go along with being a player on the grand stage.

Taking a decade-by-decade approach to the Ohio State University football tradition, this collection brings together over 40 stories from the most outstanding voices of the program. The spirit of Buckeyes football is not captured by just one phrase, one season, or one particular game; instead, the student-athletes and coaches who made the magic happen over eight decades blend their experiences to capture the true essence of their beloved school. From Howard "Hopalong" Cassady and Chris Spielman to Cris Carter and the players who helped win the 2002 National Championship, Ohio State fans will relish the intimate stories told by the figures they have come to cherish.