Raleigh, N.C. – Even though 59% of Ohio State fans in Ohio think their football program is in worse shape than when ousted head coach Jim Tressel came onboard, and while only 13% think it is better off, they still love what he did for the team during his ten-year tenure—so much so that they wish he were still there. Fans are much more divided on whether they want current coach Luck Fickell to remain in charge, and on whether they think former Florida coach and Ohio native Urban Meyer should come in. 59% of Ohio voters say they are OSU fans.
Despite the NCAA violations that occurred under Tressel’s watch, the program’s success on the field during that time causes 78% of OSU partisans to approve of Tressel’s leadership, and only 12% to disapprove. Only slightly fewer (63%) wish they still saw his face on the sidelines every Saturday afternoon, while 24% are glad he stepped down. The harder-core the fan, the more they approve. 88% of the 29% who say they are the biggest fans approve, as opposed to 77% among the 52% who are only moderate fans, and 66% with the rest who are casual fans. The same trend is found on the question of whether Tressel should still be coach.
With the Buckeyes mired in a 4-3 season so far (1-2 in the Big Ten), Fickell’s job could be on the line. Only 35% want to give him another season, and another 35% are not sure, while 30% want him out the door. Boosters could keep him hanging on, however. Among the 16% of these fans who say they went to the school, 49% want Fickell to soldier on, and only 15% want him gone. Hardcore backers are split, 40-42.
But if the administration does go head hunting, fans are not too keen on Meyer being the pick. 26% would like him to be the next play caller, and 27% would not. 47% are not sure. Meyer does not get favor among OSU grads, who side against him by a 23-38 margin. But he does with the hardcore, 41-35.
PPP surveyed 581 Ohio voters, including 341 Ohio State fans, from October 13th to 16th. The margin of error for the entire survey is +/-4.1%, and +/-5.3% for the Ohio State fan portion. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews. PPP is a Democratic polling company, but polling expert Nate Silver of the New York Times found that its surveys in 2010 actually exhibited a slight bias toward Republican candidates.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you consider yourself to be an Ohio State
football fan?
Yes………………………………………………………… 59%
No …………………………………………………………. 36%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%
Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of the work Jim
Tressel did as football coach? (Asked only of
341 voters identifying as Ohio State fans)
Approve …………………………………………………. 78%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 12%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q3 Do you think that Jim Tressel should still be
serving as Ohio State’s football coach, or are
you glad that he resigned? (Asked only of 341
voters identifying as Ohio State fans)
He should still be coach……………………………. 63%
Glad he resigned …………………………………….. 24%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%
Q4 Do you think that Ohio State’s football program
is in a better or worse position now than when
Jim Tressel became coach, or about the
same? (Asked only of 341 voters identifying as
Ohio State fans)
Better position…………………………………………. 13%
Worse position………………………………………… 59%
About the same……………………………………….. 26%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 3%
Q5 Do you think that Luke Fickell should continue
as Ohio State football coach after this season
or should he be replaced? (Asked only of 341
voters identifying as Ohio State fans)
He should continue ………………………………….. 35%
He should be replaced……………………………… 30%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 35%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Terrelle Pryor? (Asked only of 341 voters
identifying as Ohio State fans)
Favorable……………………………………………….. 19%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 53%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 28%
Q7 Would you like Urban Meyer to be the football
coach at Ohio State next year or not? (Asked
only of 341 voters identifying as Ohio State
fans)
Would like him to …………………………………….. 26%
Would not……………………………………………….. 27%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 47%
Q8 Did you attend college at Ohio State? (Asked
only of 341 voters identifying as Ohio State
fans)
Yes………………………………………………………… 16%
No …………………………………………………………. 84%
Q9 Would you describe yourself as a hardcore,
moderate, or casual fan of Ohio State? (Asked
only of 341 voters identifying as Ohio State
fans)
Hardcore………………………………………………… 29%
Moderate………………………………………………… 52%
Casual……………………………………………………. 19%
Q10 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 44%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 48%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 8%
Q11 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 10%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 21%
Moderate………………………………………………… 30%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 19%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 19%
Q12 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 51%
Man……………………………………………………….. 49%
Q13 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 47%
Republican……………………………………………… 37%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 16%
Q14 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 83%
African-American …………………………………….. 13%
Other……………………………………………………… 4%
Q15 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 14%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 26%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 40%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
