STARK’S GREATEST TEAMS: With a nice mix of former Stark County stars, the ’54 Buckeyes won a national title to help their coach begin to make his huge impact on Ohio State football. Joe Scalzo Years before Woody Hayes became Ohio’s version of George Patton — a square-jawed, fire-breathing throwback who believed in God, country and running the football, not always in that order — he was just a 38-year-old Mid-American Conference coach with the audacity to apply for his dream job, and the awareness to know he wasn’t likely to get it. It was the winter of 1951 and Wes Fesler, Ohio State’s third head coach since Paul Brown departed after the 1943 season, had just resigned following the infamous “Snow Bowl” loss to Michigan. Hayes had just finished his second year at Miami (Ohio), ending the season with a win over Arizona State in the short-lived Salad Bowl,…
Continue Reading: Ohio State's 1954 season served as turning point of Woody Hayes' career
