Week 14 is college football rivalry week, and rivalries don’t come much more heated than when the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes meet in “The Game.” The matchup has produced many personalities, none more influential than legendary Buckeyes head coach Woody Hayes, whose leaked phone number now provides additional inspiration for Ohio State fans.
Ohio State Fans Get Extra Motivation From Woody Hayes During Rivalry Week
Ohio State likely doesn’t need any help to beat Michigan this weekend, with the two teams on very different trajectories ahead of the 2024 edition. However, if you call 614-488-1910, you can get your very own rousing inspirational speech courtesy of the greatest coach in Buckeyes history and a man whose name is inextricably linked with Ohio State football.
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In 2023, Ryan Vesler, the founder of Columbus-based apparel company HOMAGE, found Hayes’ number phone number listed in a directory. Listed under Hayes WW (the legendary head coach’s full name was Wayne Woodrow Hayes), 614-488-1910 has become an audio pilgrimage for Buckeyes fans wanting to hear the great man’s words ringing in their ears.
Ryan Vesler, founder of Homage, tracked down Woody’s old number and it now plays a pump up speech from Woody before a Michigan game. He’s a legend for this. (614) 488-1910 @MrOH1O @Bucknuts247 @305Buckeye @BuckeyeFett @priestas pic.twitter.com/OKjfu3NIw0
— Ekpyrosis Bull (@71greys) November 23, 2023
We don’t want to ruin the experience for you, but the number is real and contains a rousing speech delivered by Hayes ahead of an edition of “The Game” against Michigan. The Buckeyes beat the Wolverines 16 times during his tenure as head coach.
Hayes served as the Ohio State head coach from 1951-1978, his third head coaching role after leading the Denison and Miami (OH) RedHawks football programs. An Ohio native, he led the program to a 205-61-10 record while claiming five national championships for the Buckeyes.
Among his many accolades, Hayes was twice named the Big Ten Coach of the Year, received the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award three times, was the AFCA Coach of the Year in 1957, and was ultimately inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
Hayes died in 1987 after suffering from a heart attack aged 74. However, 37 years after his death, the legendary Ohio State head coach is as much a part of the “The Game” rivalry as he was in his coaching prime. Don’t believe us? Just call 614-488-1910 and experience a pre-game speech from beyond the grave.
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