Roots of a legend

Woody Hayes ’35

Turns out, yesterday wasn’t just Valentine’s Day—it was Woody Hayes’ birthday. He would be 98 years old.

Sure, we know he’s a legend at that big university down the road in Columbus, but Woody’s ties to Denison run deep.

Wayne Woodrow Hayes graduated from Denison in 1935, having majored in history and played tackle on the football team here. He also coached football at Denison, leading his alma mater to undefeated seasons in 1947 and 1948. He went on to coach at Miami (1949-1950) and Ohio State (1951-1978), and made quite a name for himself, but that legendary college football career started right here, on Denison’s own Deeds Field.