Jim Tressel nominated to be Ohio lieutenant governor

• The role is often ceremonial, though it can take on pet projects like tech safety.

Driving the news: The seat's been vacant since Jon Husted's appointment to the U.S. Senate last month.

• Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tressel's nomination at a press conference Monday. The Republican said he wanted "someone who would focus on education, someone who would focus on workforce" for the position.
• Tressel needs approval from state lawmakers before taking office for the final two years of the term.

Flashback: Tressel is best known for his 10-year tenure as head coach of the Ohio State football team and for winning the 2002 national championship.

• He resigned from the role in 2011 amid an NCAA rules violation scandal.
• After brief stints as a consultant with the Indianapolis Colts and vice president of strategic engagement at the University of Akron, he served 10 years as president of Youngstown State University until retiring in 2023.

What they're saying: Tressel admits his political qualifications are thin.

• "I don't know this world," he said Monday. "Fortunately I believe in our governor and what he believes in. And my first job is to go to school on that."

The intrigue: Tressel was a surprise pick. Some expected Ohio Department of Development director Lydia Mihalik to receive the appointment, WCMH-TV reported.

💭 Our thought bubble: DeWine, whose family owns a minor league baseball team, seems particularly inclined to appreciate sports leadership.

• It's not unheard of for football coaches to enter politics — Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) coached at Cincinnati and President Gerald Ford was once a coach at Yale.