March 6, 2009

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Write it down. Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said Friday that the SEC might be the toughest conference in college football from top to bottom.

Tressel made the comments to WVLT's Wes Boling at the Championship Coaching Clinic, a gathering of coaches from across the Southeast held in Pigeon Forge and facilitated by the Carson-Newman football program.

"I think the SEC might be the roughest conference there is, top to bottom," Tressel said in an exclusive interview. "I can't imagine what they go through week-in and week-out.

We lost two national championship games to the SEC. Very good teams and very well-coached. That makes it tough on that league, because they just beat each other up."

Tressel also talked about new Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin.

"UT's a great place," Tressel said. "Lane will do a good job. He's got tremendous coaches with him. I've met his dad before, back in yesteryear. He'll do a good job because it's a great place and he'll work hard."

Tressel spoke to the coaches about his coaching philosophy at Ohio State. He told the Sports Overtime team that he enjoyed the chance to talk to coaches who were moving up in the high school and small-college ranks.