Ohio State players, alums support Tressel

Published May. 30, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

He may be getting labeled a cheater and likened to President Nixon, but Ohio State fans are still standing by their man Jim Tressel as news came that the coach had resigned.

Ohio State announced the resignation Monday amid an NCAA investigation into several possible violations. Buckeyes fans and players immediately came to Tressel's defense.

Starting linebacker Andrew Sweat tweeted, ''You have done a tremendous amount for us as football players but more importantly developing us as men.''

Alumni were shocked. Eddie Langhenry, a 2008 graduate, says he doesn't deny Tressel did something wrong, but ''thought he was going to serve his penalty and coach through it.''

Tamieka Cobb, a 2003 grad, says she thinks Tressel ''always put his players first.''