Athletes - Woody Hayes

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	Athletes - Woody Hayes

Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes (February 14, 1913 – March 12, 1987) was an American football coach who is best remembered for his 28-year tenure at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio from 1951-1978.

Early years

Born in Clifton, Ohio, Hayes played center on his Newcomerstown, Ohio high school football team and tackle at Denison University. He majored in English and history during his undergraduate days and is a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.

After graduating from Denison in 1935, Hayes went on to serve as an assistant at two Ohio high schools: Mingo Junction in 1935-36 and New Philadelphia in 1937. When head coach John Brickels left to accept another position, Hayes was elevated to the New Philadelphia head coaching slot, where he put together a 17-2-1 mark in his first two seasons before enduring a 1-9 campaign in 1940.

Hayes enlisted in the United States Navy in July, 1941, eventually rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander during World War II. He commanded the PC 1251 in the Palau Islands invasion and the destroyer-escort Rinehart in both the Atlantic and Pacific operations.

In 1942, he married Anne Gross, with the couple having one son, Steven, who went on to a prestigious career of his own as both a lawyer and judge.

Upon returning in 1946, Hayes accepted the head coaching position at his alma mater, Denison, where he struggled during his first year, winning only the season finale. However, that victory would spark a 19-game winning streak, a surge that would propel him into the head coaching position at Miami University (Ohio). This institution was long considered the "Cradle of Coaches" in recognition of its knack for developing outstanding coaches such as Paul Brown, Weeb Ewbank, Sid Gillman, and Bo Schembechler. In his two years with the Redskins, Hayes would become part of this select group by leading the 1950 squad to an appearance in the Salad Bowl, where they defeated Arizona State University. That success led him to accept the Ohio State position on February 18, 1951.

Ohio State years

As head coach with the Buckeyes, Hayes would lead his teams to a 205-68-10 record, winning four national championships, 13 Big Ten Conference titles and four of the team's eight Rose Bowl appearances. Woody considered the "greatest victory" of his career the 42-21 win over USC during the 1974 Rose Bowl. Twice winning National Coach of the Year honors, Hayes was "the subject of more varied and colorful anecdotal material than any other coach past or present, including fabled Knute Rockne," according to biographer Jerry Brondfield.

Hayes' basic coaching philosophy was that "nobody could win football games unless they regarded the game positively and would agree to pay the price that success demands of a team." His conservative style of football (especially on offense) was often described as "three yards and a cloud of dust"; in other words, a "crunching, frontal assault of muscle against muscle, bone upon bone, will against will."

Despite this seeming willingness to avoid change, Hayes became one of the first major college head coaches to recruit African-American players and hire African-American assistant coaches. One of those players, Archie Griffin, was one of four Heisman Trophy winners to have played under Hayes and remains the only two-time winner in seven decades worth of selections. In addition, Hayes saw 58 players earn All-America accolades under his tutelage, while many notable football coaches, such as Lou Holtz, Bill Arnsparger, Bill Mallory, Bo Schembechler and Woody's successor, Earle Bruce, served as his assistants.

Hayes would often use illustrations from historical events to strongly make a point in his coaching and teaching. When Hayes was first hired to be the head coach at OSU, he was also made a "full professor of physical education," having earned an M.A. degree in educational administration from Ohio State in 1948. The classes that he taught on campus were usually full, and he was called "Professor Hayes" by students.

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Athletes - Woody Hayes

Early years

Ohio State years

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