Legends of the Hall
Woody Hayes
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With
119 chapters and over 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football
Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization,
runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing
scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in today’s
young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame
in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, the NFF Center for Youth Development
Through Sport at Springfield College, the NFL/NFF Coaching Academy,
and annual scholarships of nearly $1 million for college and high
school scholar-athletes. Each month American Football Monthly will
profile a member of the College Football Hall of Fame – our May
subject is Coach Woody Hayes.
1913: Born in Clifton,
Ohio
1932-34: Tackle
at Denison University
1935-40: High school coach
in Ohio
194l-1945: Lt. Commander
-US Navy
1946-48: Head Coach, Denison
1949-50: Head Coach, Miami (Ohio)
1951: First (of 28 years) as Head Coach, Ohio
State
1954: Wins first
of three national championships
1955: Howard
‘Hopalong’ Cassady wins Heisman Trophy
1957: National Coach of the Year
1968: Wins his third National Championship
1974: Archie Griffin wins first of consecutive
Heisman Trophies
1998: Inducted into the College Football Hall
of Fame
1975: Voted National Coach of the Year
1978: Finishes 28 year career as OSU
Head Coach
1983: Inducted into the College Football
Hall of Fame
1986: Receives Amos Alonzo Stagg Award
1987: Dies in Columbus
‘Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust’ is the
phrase many use when referring to legendary Ohio State coach Woody
Hayes. His Buckeye teams would successfully use this battle plan
to dominate college football for nearly three decades. During his
years in Columbus (1951-1978), Ohio State won a share of four national
championships; produced two Heisman Trophy winners; claimed 13 Big
Ten Championships; and competed in 11 bowl games. Hayes was named
National Coach of the Year in 1957, 1968, and 1975 and had a remarkable
record at OSU of 205 wins, 61 losses, and 10 ties.
Born in Clifton, Ohio, Hayes spent his entire playing and coaching
career within the state of Ohio. He played football at Denison University
(1932-34) as a tackle and also was a baseball outfielder. After
coaching high school football for six years, Hayes served in the
Navy during World War II from 1941-45. Back at his alma mater, Hayes
was head coach at Denison for three years (1946-48), followed by
a two-year stint as head man at Miami (Ohio). He began his career
at Ohio State in 1951.
Although having an inauspicious start with a 4-3-2 record his first
year, the Buckeyes responded with a National Championship three
years later. It was the first of Hayes’ 13 Big Ten Championships.
Howard ‘Hopalong’ Cassady became Hayes’ first Heisman
Trophy winner, a year later, in 1955.
A third National Championship occurred in 1968 with the Buckeyes
going undefeated with the likes of Rex Kern, John Brockington, and
Jack Tatum. That team, as well, knocked off the Trojans in the Rose
Bowl, 27-16. His last undefeated team finished 10-0-1 in 1973 and
was led by sophomore tailback Archie Griffin. The next two years
– 1974 and 1975 – Griffin won the Heisman Trophy, the
award’s only two-time winner. Hayes’ overall 36-year record
at the three colleges stands at 238-72-10.
“He was a great coach but an even better man,” said Griffin.
“The thing that stood out most about him was his genuine concern
for his players. He was tough – he could chew out a player
pretty good if he thought that player wasn’t giving that 110
percent. But he deeply cared about all of his players.” He
was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and was
awarded the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award for long and meritorious service
to college football in 1986.
To find out more about how to become a member or for more information
about The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
visit www.footballfoundation.org or call 1-800-486-1865.
Digital Download - 304 Pages of Football Forms for the Winning Coach
