Congratulations on getting accepted to OSU grad school. I hope you enjoy your time in Columbus (it shouldn't be too difficult). If you want to get familiar with Buckeye Football lore, there is plenty of info on the
official school website, in addition to many other Buckeye websites:
O-zone,
11W,
bucknuts,
OurHonorDefend, etc. A few names you should be aware of: Alexander Lilly, Chic Harley, Francis Schmidt, Paul Brown, Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, Howard Cassady, Woody Hayes, Archie Griffin, Earle Bruce, Eddie George, Troy Smith (that's just for starters). Also great players such as Bill Willis, Jim Parker, Jack Tatum, Chris Spielman, the list goes on and on.
What you need to get hip to right away is that Ohio State Football is not just about wins and losses, national championships, all-americans, Heisman Trophy winners, or what have you. The tradition of Ohio State Football is built on the idea that the sport of football is a means to develop young men in to outstanding members of society. You need look no further than our own Archie Griffin, who was perhaps the greatest college football player of his time, but has eclipsed his achievements on the playing field with all he's done since then in his work to benefit the football program, the university, and the community. That spirit has been a part of Ohio State long before most of us were born, and it is stronger than ever right now.
James Patrick Tressel is first and foremost an educator and mentor, and then a football coach. The success of the football team is a byproduct of his commitment to teaching his players to be the best people that they can be. It's too involved to explain in a short post. There is a tradition of excellence that was started long before Coach Tressel came to Columbus, and even before Coach Hayes. The true measure of The Ohio State Football Program is not in what happens on the field, but what it's players contribute to society after their time in Columbus is done. That's not to say that winning fooball games isn't awesome, and you will see much of that in the next few years, but Ohio State's legacy is best expressed in a couple of quotes by two of it's greatest figures: Coach Tressel, "It's not about football", and Coach Hayes, "You win with people".
