Ohio State students had varied reactions to the announcement of Coach Jim Tressel's resignation. The news of the end of football coach Jim Tressel's career at Ohio State came as a surprise for some students. "Oh I'm shocked because he was a really good coach," said freshman Ben Alesi. But many others suspected the end was near for Tressel, because of the NCAA investigation into allegations that he withheld information about his players selling football memorabilia. Alesi said the information kept coming. "It just got to a point where the NCAA had to crack down. I think Gordon Gee said the right things at the right time, same with Gene Smith but what had to be done was done," Alesi said. Senior Kendra Liggett was not surprised by the announcement. "Most people knew that he had told the football players that they weren't supposed to do these kinds of things and he kind of took the fall for them when it was really their fault," said Liggett. OSU student Jeremiah Carter said Tressel should not have stepped down. "I'm not saying it was right for him to lie to the NCAA about the activity that was going on, but I think he was reacting as a coach first, and I think he was doing what he thought was best to protect the players," Carter said. Freshman Kevin Cox said fans should not forget the good times Coach Tressel brought to the university. "As we go on I think we need to forgive him and just keep it in perspective all the good things he did for the university and the surrounding community," Cox said.
Debbie Holmes began her career in broadcasting in Columbus after graduating from The Ohio State University. She left the Buckeye state to pursue a career in television news and worked as a reporter and anchor in Moline, Illinois and Memphis, Tennessee.