Minutes before kickoff between Ohio State and Marshall on Sept. 2, Jim Tressel entered the field vest-less.

Though he eventually switched to his distinctive attire, the near-catastrophe was a sign of things to come from the old-fashioned coach.

The fact that Tressel would teeter on the brink of such dramatic change provided a shock around the ‘Shoe. For a man so engrossed in preparation, fundamentals and respect, the sudden wardrobe modification didn’t add up.

But now, three games into a season in which the Buckeyes are vying for a national title, the coach’s mannerisms have dislodged conservative “Tresselball” from weekly chatter.

Keeping a strict, short leash on quarterback Terrelle Pryor? Not anymore.

Chewing up the clock with countless rushing plays? Not so much.

Sitting on big leads to avoid running up the score? No longer.

The new Tressel, one who keeps the first-team offense on the field despite a 36-0 third-quarter lead against overmatched Ohio, holds no prisoners.

The new Tressel, one who has called for Pryor to throw an average of 27 passes per game in the first three contests, ignores the traditional, smashmouth style of Big Ten football.

And while that aggressive, no-holds-barred approach leads to big plays, big leads and big numbers, it doesn’t always translate into a winning formula.

Instead, it takes balance.

Championship-caliber teams find success both through the air and on the ground.

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While the likes of Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech were slinging the ball up and down the field in 2008, Florida won the national title with a mix of run and pass.

Last year, Alabama rumbled to a ring behind a dynamic backfield duo of Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. Quarterback Greg McElroy, capable when called upon, kept opposing defenses from focusing solely on the run game.

Gunslinging doesn’t fall under Tressel’s offensive ideology. Under his reign, the Buckeyes have boasted strong running games and efficient passing games. OSU has long been a team able to manage the clock, avoid turnovers and rely on defense and special teams to provide the difference.

OSU breezed through a November slate of games against Penn State, Iowa and Michigan last year by feeding off its running game.

This year, Tressel has banished that approach. The Buckeyes smell blood early and often. When it appears their lead is insurmountable, they continue to prey on the opposition.

Tressel had Pryor throwing downfield while up five touchdowns against OU on Saturday. Only when the Buckeyes took a 43-0 lead did the Senator pull the plug on the first-team offense.

But is this newfound, aggressive style working? Pryor threw a pair of interceptions when forcing downfield heaves into double coverage against the Bobcats. He completed just 12 of his 27 passes against the Miami Hurricanes.

The Heisman hopeful quarterback is better suited for a balanced offense, when teams not only have to worry about Pryor’s arm and legs but also the Buckeyes’ deep stable of running backs.

The pressure is certainly on the No. 2 team in the nation to stay on course and reach the national championship game.

But if Tressel loosens the vest too much, the Buckeyes might not make it that far.