What's the history behind Ohio State's buckeye helmet stickers?

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio State is one of college football's most recognizable brands. On top of its renowned coaches, the team is easily identifiable by their helmets and the buckeye stickers plastered on them. 

For decades, the buckeye leaf has marked the journey of Ohio State football champions, one sticker at a time. Some players' helmets are almost completely covered in buckeyes. Each one serves as a testament to players' accomplishments on the field. 

If anyone knows a thing or two about the helmet sticker reward system, it's former head coach Jim Tressel. 

"You ran out into the Horseshoe and you had a bunch of buckeye leaves, people were like, ‘Woah, you know, this must be quite a contributor,’" Tressel said.  

Tressel led his team to a national championship victory in 2002. When he coached the Buckeyes, he favored a teamwork approach over an individual-based award system.  

"We thought it was always fun to recognize excellence," Tressel said. "We were seeking excellence. We were seeking the belief in doing things as unit, doing things as a team."  

Tressel said he wanted to make sure every player down the roster knew they had opportunities to earn buckeye leaves just like the stars on offense and defense.  

The tradition dates back to Woody Hayes. Each coach over the years has put their own unique spin on what merits a sticker; it's ultimately up to each coach's discretion. At the core of it always, a sticker represents a job well done.  

"We always felt that it was the unit things that were important," Tressel said. "It was the team things that were important. And then, of course, the postseason ones were even more important." 

The look of the sticker has changed over the years. At one point, the buckeye leaves were about the size of a golf ball. 

"As times evolved, people thought, ‘Boy, that's a good idea, maybe more people should get a chance’ and then the seasons got longer, and so you needed to fit more on your helmet, so the Buckeye leaves got smaller and all of a sudden, it looks like a cluster," Tressel said.  

Players receive stickers after coaches grade the game film. The stickers never touch the legendary stripe on the helmet, so if the team is having a strong season like this one, it's easy for helmets to fill up fast. 

"What we saw was that some of the guys that weren't necessarily starters on offense and defense really had great opportunities to win buckeye leaves because of all the special teams they were willing to be on," Tressel said. "And sometimes those special teams get overlooked. You know, the fans don't think too much about the right guard on the punt team."  

There's a motivational component to these stickers for players. As they run out onto the field, if their helmets are filled with them, it shows they're a key contributor. But according to Tressel, every player on the roster has the ability to earn them.   

"If you were the scout team player of the week, you would get a buckeye leaf because you might not get in the game, but you got us ready for the game," Tressel said. "So, it was just a way for us to recognize good contribution." 

Tressel said for seniors who get to keep their helmets after the season, it's extra special.   

"You can be sure that wherever their helmet is located, whether it's in their office building of their law firm or their doctor's office or their home in their den or whatever, it is one of the proudest things that they display," Tressel said. 

Tressel said the stickers serve as a fun way to reward hard work and winning. 

"Above all else, you want to walk away from that one saying, ‘You know what? That was the best we had to offer and that's what the fans want,’” Tressel said. 

That is certainly what fans got Monday night as they watched the Buckeyes get crowned national champions. 

"When young people, high school players, are looking at your brand, you know, they love to see the Horseshoe," Tressel said. "They love to see the uniforms. They love to see those little extra things. And I think they like to know the fact that we're out there trying to recognize more than just a couple people."