CANTON, Ohio (AP)—Standing before a room jammed with some of his most loyal admirers, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel apologized several times during his first public speaking engagement since being suspended and fined for violating NCAA rules.
Speaking to a crowd of 400—many of them Ohio State fans clad in the school’s scarlet and gray—at a luncheon sponsored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Tressel charmed a pro-Buckeyes’ audience during a 40-minute speech focused on handling adversity.
Tressel began his remarks by saying he couldn’t say much about the recent troubles at Ohio State “because of the nature of the investigation.”
“But I can tell you this,” he said. “I consider all of you a part of the Buckeye Nation. I sincerely apologize for what we’ve been through. I apologize for the fact I wasn’t able to find the ones to partner with to handle our difficult and complex situation.
“I also apologize because I’m going to have some sanctions. But the mission doesn’t change. That’s the pledge I have to you. The mission I’ve always had is we make sure we help young people change their lives.”
Dressed in a charcoal suit and dark red tie, Tressel also apologized for being a distraction to Ohio State’s top-ranked basketball team, which enters this week’s NCAA tournament as the No. 1 overall seed.
As part of the school-imposed penalties announced last week, Tressel was also publicly reprimanded and required to make a public apology.
Before he was whisked off to the airport, Tressel was asked if his speech served as his public repentance.
“I’ve tried to apologize all along,” he said.
