By Greg Billing (DaytonDailyNews.com) — Even with the NFL lockout keeping him off the field, Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk has found a use for his defensive skills this offseason.

Hawk, who played at Ohio State, defended his former coach, Jim Tressel, who recently resigned amid scandal.

“I haven’t had to defend myself, but I chose to defend Coach Tressel,” Hawk said during a conference call for next month’s American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament in South Lake Tahoe, Nev.

“I think it’s a shame. Obviously he knew he made a mistake with not reporting everything he knew. It’s a shame such a great guy, a great person has to kind of go out that way. I’ve seen him a few times since he resigned and he’s handling it really well. He’s really classy and I hate to see that happen to him. I hope the program still thrives in the future. As for him, I think it’s going to take some time.”

Hawk, a Centerville native who lives in Columbus in the offseason, told ESPN’s “First Take” recently he disagreed with a Sports Illustrated article and how it presented Tressel. He also said he didn’t see any of the rules violations the program is being accused of now.

“The crazy thing is, in my four years there, I never saw anything like that,” Hawk said. “A couple guys on the team at the time got into trouble, but I never saw anything. That never got inside the locker room, I would say. It was never anything I was aware of. … I’m definitely surprised with the stuff that’s coming out now.”

Also on Wednesday, Hawk addressed the ongoing NFL lockout, saying he thinks teams like

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