Gov. Mike DeWine made the announcement Monday, selecting Tressel to replace U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, who is filling the term of Vice President J.D. Vance.

“He knows how to pull education in together and to reach out to the business community,” DeWine said. “He has the requisite skill set. Jim Tressel, I trust his judgment. He is a born leader. He’s a hard worker. He will enable me to be assured that if something happens to me, he can walk in and be governor that day.”

DeWine, whose term expires at the end of 2026, said he was searching for a leader who could make decisions and serve as governor if something happened to him. He said he wanted someone who could pull people together, shared Ohio’s values and added value to the people of Ohio.

DeWine also said he wanted a lieutenant governor who would focus on education and workforce development.

“This is probably not a greater moment in our state than we’ve had in hundreds of years with opportunities, and we really need to do a good job of getting that workforce to execute those opportunities,” Tressel said. “I’ll have a lot of learning. I don’t know this world particularly. Fortunately, I believe in our governor and what he believes in. Hopefully, I can evolve and make a difference in a state that has been so special to us.”

Tressel, 72, was born in Mentor and coached the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2001-10, leading the Buckeyes to a national championship in 2002 with a win over previously undefeated Miami in the Orange Bowl. Ohio State appeared in three national championship games under Tressel.

He resigned in 2011 after several players were accused of trading jerseys and gold pants awarded for beating Michigan for tattoos.

Most recently, he served as president of Youngstown State University from 2014 until 2023.

Tressel must be confirmed by both the Ohio House and Senate.

New Senate President Rob McColley, R-Napolean, said he wanted to hear from Tressel during the confirmation process.

“I appreciate the governor’s nomination of President Tressel who has dedicated his career to guiding our youth on both the gridiron as a coach and in the classroom as a college president,” McColley said. “I look forward to hearing more from Jim Tressel as the Senate carries out its confirmation duties as directed by the Ohio Constitution.”

The announcement received approval from the state’s largest business community, calling Tressel’s education and workforce development background a benefit for business and industry throughout the state.

“The Ohio Chamber applauds Gov. DeWine’s nomination of Jim Tressel as lieutenant governor following former Lt. Gov. Jon Husted’s appointment to the U.S. Senate,” Ohio Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Steve Stivers said. “With his wealth of experience in the education field, Jim understands its importance in building Ohio’s workforce of tomorrow. To that end, since leaving Youngstown State University in 2023, Jim has heavily involved himself in state workforce development discussions and policymaking, and he will certainly continue to prioritize these issues in his new role for the benefit of the business community and all Ohioans.”