Mike Tressel Hometown: St. Paul, Minn. Position: Special Teams/Linebackers Experience: Third Year

Mike Tressel, one of eight assistant coaches to follow head coach Mark Dantonio from Cincinnati to Michigan State, is in third season as linebackers and special teams coach.

In his role as linebackers coach the past two seasons, Tressel has mentored two of the top young linebackers in the Big Ten, in Greg Jones and Eric Gordon. This past fall, Jones earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, the first Spartan linebacker to do so since 2001. He led the team in tackles for the second straight season with 127 and his 89 tackles in conference play ranked first in the Big Ten. Last season, Jones earned consensus Freshman All-America honors after leading the team and all Big Ten freshmen with 78 tackles, becoming the first true freshman to lead Michigan State in tackles since 1976. Gordon, who garnered Big Ten All-Freshman honors in 2007, improved his productivity as a sophomore to rank second on the team and 13th in the Big Ten with 85 tackles.

Tressel also oversees a successful special teams unit that has been one of the best in the Big Ten since his arrival. Placekicker Brett Swenson tied a school record with 22 field goals en route to being named second-team All-Big Ten. Punter Aaron Bates was also a second-team all-conference pick, as he ranked fourth in the Big Ten and 30th in the nation with his 42.0-yard punting average. In 2007, Devin Thomas established a Big Ten record with 1,135 kick return yards.

The 34-year-old Tressel played a key role in Cincinnati's success over his three seasons, as the Bearcats earned two bowl invitations. During the 2006 regular season, UC ranked among the national leaders in rushing defense (No. 27 at 107.5 yards per game), total defense (No. 31 at 304.3 ypg.) and scoring defense (No. 34 at 19.3 points per game). In addition, the Bearcats held seven of its 12 regular-season opponents to less than 100 yards rushing. In 2006, Tressel coached linebacker Kevin McCullough, who received first-team All-BIG EAST honors after leading the team in tackles (72) and tackles for losses (14.5 for 36 yards).

In 2005, he helped develop Corey Smith into a third-team Freshman All-American and second-team All-BIG EAST selection. In his first season at Cincinnati, Tressel's starting linebackers ranked first, third and fifth on the team in tackles, with both Jamar Enzor (second team) and Tyjuan Hagler (third team) garnering All-Conference USA honors. Hagler was taken by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

Prior to joining Dantonio's staff at Cincinnati, Tressel spent two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Ohio State (2002-03), where he contributed to the Buckeyes' National Championship team in 2002. Tressel previously coached at Wartburg (Iowa) College for four seasons (1998-01), helping the school to a combined record of 36-4 including one conference title. At Wartburg, he served as offensive line coach for three years before assuming the role of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the 2001 season.

A four-year starter in the secondary at Cornell (Iowa) College, Tressel became a two-time Academic All-American. Following graduation in 1996, he launched his coaching career at South Dakota as a graduate assistant for two seasons (1996-97), working on the offensive side of the football.

He earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Cornell (Iowa) College in 1996 and received a master's degree in sports administration from South Dakota in 1998.

Tressel comes from a bloodline of successful coaches, as his uncle Jim Tressel won four NCAA I-AA championships at Youngstown State before leading Ohio State to the 2002 National Championship. His grandfather, Lee Tressel, ranked as one of the winningest coaches in Division III history and won a National Championship at Baldwin-Wallace College. His father Richard, who spent 23 seasons as head coach at Hamline, is in his eighth season at Ohio State, his fifth year as running backs coach.

He and his wife Megan have two children: Logan and Quincy.

THE TRESSEL FILE

YEARS AT MICHIGAN STATE: Third. Joined staff on Dec. 1, 2006, from Cincinnati.

PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE: College - Graduate assistant coach at South Dakota (1996-97); offensive line coach (1998-2000) and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (2001) at Wartburg (Iowa) College; graduate assistant linebackers coach at Ohio State (2002-03); linebackers and special teams coach at Cincinnati (2004-06).

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in mathematics from Cornell (Iowa) College in 1996; master's degree in sports administration at South Dakota in 1998.

PLAYING EXPERIENCE: College - Four-year starter in the secondary at Cornell (Iowa) College (1992-95).

POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE: Coach - 1999 NCAA Division III Playoffs, 2003 Fiesta Bowl, 2004 Fiesta Bowl, 2004 Fort Worth Bowl, 2007 Champs Sports Bowl, 2009 Capital One Bowl.