1990 ...I am not trying to create anything here, but feel free to ask anyone. Tressel's abilities were not the major issue. Many people were unhappy with the change of command ... Narduzzi was very popular. Then note that Tressel was #3 on the list of finalists for the job & Akron stole our #1 choice with Browns fans furious over YSU not choosing #2 Sam, who then became HC at Liberty. So there was a certain sense of frustration around coach T to begin with. Going 14-20 over 3-years did not help.
But in 1986 people were ready to run him out of town. That last second win over Akron pacified many people. Then in 1988 he went 4-7 with losses to Akron, BG and Kent State. Also he went to Liberty and Sam (one of the men he beat out for the YSU job) pummeled the Guins at an away game with Liberty. Credit Tressel with learning the local HS style & injecting it at YSU, becoming visible in the community, his willingness to take the AD job at little or no pay and the plan to move us independent. Simply showing just how smart of a leader that we all now know he truly is.