“Woody” Hayes five time football national champion and unfortunate ending
On my walk through Union Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio, a CFL football in hand, I visited the grave of legendary Ohio State Buckeye football coach Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes.
An Ohio native, Hayes was raised in a working-class family. His father, a schoolteacher, was strict and demanding—traits that rubbed off on young Woody early. After a successful football career at Denison College, where he played center, Hayes also developed a deep appreciation for history, literature, and philosophy. He was known to memorize poetry and quote philosophers—habits that later surprised reporters who expected a simple “football guy.”
By the time he graduated, Hayes already believed football was more than a game—it was a way to teach character, order, and resilience. He carried that belief to Ohio State, where he served as head football coach from 1951 to 1978. In his 28 years at the helm, Woody Hayes led his teams to five national championships. Only Nick Saban (7) and Bear Bryant (6) have won more.
On December 29, 1978, in Jacksonville, Florida, Hayes’s career sadly ended abruptly during the 1978 Gator Bowl. Ohio State trailed 17–15 against Clemson late in the fourth quarter. With just over two minutes remaining and driving inside Clemson’s 25-yard line, Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter threw a pass that was intercepted by Clemson nose guard Charlie Bauman. Bauman returned the ball toward the Ohio State sideline and was pushed out of bounds near the Buckeye bench.
As Bauman got up, Hayes approached and punched him in the throat. The act sparked a brief bench-clearing brawl between players and coaches from both teams. The incident was nationally publicized, and Ohio State fired Hayes the next morning, ending his 28-season run as head coach and one of the most infamous endings to a career in college football history.
The “punch” that ended a legendary career.
Woody Hayes died in Upper Arlington, Ohio, on March 12, 1987. He was 74 years old.
1913-1987
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”
— Warren Buffett
