Jim Tressel Offers Brutal Assessment Harbaugh's Tenure

Though it looked to be on shaky ground prior to 2021, it's safe to say that the rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State is very much alive and well.

During a recent interview with 1 Star Recruits podcast on Wednesday, former Ohio State head football Coach Jim Tressel was asked a series of questions - one of which about the current head football coach at the University of Michigan. Specifically, Tressel was asked to give a rating (1-5 with 5 being the best) for Jim Harbaugh's first seven seasons at U-M.

As expected, Tressel doesn't seem all that impressed.

“Because of his lack of winning in 'The Game' and lack of winning in the postseason, that makes it tougher to have a win-loss legacy. I really don’t know what his legacy is with his student-athletes and what the relationships are and so forth. And that’s the ones that last the longest anyway. The public is going to assess – as they should – the win-loss records. But the impact that you have with your students, that’s really what your record is and honestly, I’m not sure what those relationships are. So, I guess I’ve got to give him a 1 star on the win-loss thing."

If you're a Michigan fan who's a bit on the younger side, Jim Tressel is essentially the greasier version of Urban Meyer. He was head coach for the Buckeyes from 2001-2010, until he was eventually forced to resign in May of 2011. Tressel's resignation was the result of an NCAA investigation into improper benefits violations involving several OSU football players during the 2010 season. In fact, Tressel's coaching career included so many scandals that Bleacher Report put together a Top Five list of his greatest hits. 

Tressel's comments are just the latest in a series of exchanges between folks from Michigan and Ohio State. Following the Wolverines convincing 42-27 victory over the Buckeyes, Harbaugh took to the podium and offered his thoughts on the trash talk that had been coming out of Columbus for several months.

"Some people were born on third and think they hit a triple," said Harbaugh with a giant grin on his face. Most viewed the comments as a thinly veiled shot at Ryan Day, suggesting that much - if not all - of Day's success the result of Urban Meyers work. Harbaugh's comments were likely also a response to the whole "hang 100 on them" saga that surfaced prior to the 2020 season. 

Harbaugh wasn't the only one from Michigan's side who had something to say about the Buckeyes following Michigan's big win. Senior captain Aidan Hutchinson, who dominated the afternoon with a career-high three sacks, didn't hold back when it came to Ohio State.

“They were disrespecting us," said Hutchinson. "Stepping on our jerseys, saying they were going to hang 100 on us. A lot of talking about it. We were about it today.”

Prior to 2021, there were suggestions that the Michigan v. Ohio State rivalry was becoming irrelevant - thanks in large part to the Wolverines lack of competitiveness for the better part of two decades. Following the 2021 season, it's safe to say that the rivalry is as relevant as it has ever been.