“Loved this man”: CFB fans pay tribute to Ohio State legend Woody Hayes’ birthday

Few coaches are associated with a football program as much as Woody Hayes is with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Hayes won five national titles in 27 years as head coach in Columbus, where he held a 205-61-10 record.

On the 112th anniversary of his birthday, college football fans remembered the former coach, who died in 1987 at the age of 74.

We take a look at fans' tributes for the legendary head coach, who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1984.

“Loved this man...met him twice--once as a mere youth to get an autograph on a picture of him with captains Dick Schafrath and Frank Kremblas torn from a game program...next as a struggling newspaper sports reporter. His Birthday ought to be a state holiday in Ohio,” a fan wrote.

"Happy Birthday to legendary Woody Hayes!!" another fan said.

"Happy 112th birthday to that Valentine’s Day anomaly, the sweetheart known as Woody Hayes." a fan added.

"Woody Hayes’ birthday should be a national holiday. It would be way better than Valentine’s Day. Just saying." another fan wrote.

While there is no arguing Woody Hayes was one of the most successful coaches in college football history, the former head coach was also a controversial figure.

Hayes was known as a disciplinarian and a hard-nosed coach who would sometimes push the limits. The former head coach had physical altercations with media members and hit some of his players.

The most remembered moment was perhaps his last one on the Ohio State sideline, when the head coach hit Clemson nose tackle Charlie Bauman in the Buckeyes sideline after a game-clinching interception igniting a bench-clearing brawl in 1978.

Ahead of Woody Hayes' birthday, Ryan Day expects a tough QB competition

Ryan Day still has a few national championships to go before catching Hayes, but his teams crave competition as much as those Buckeyes in the 1950s and 60s. The most publicized competition this offseason could be to become the starting quarterback.

Coach Day shared his thoughts on the position battle in an interview with WBNS-10TV.

“It’ll be a very fierce competition. Lincoln and Julian and then, Tavien. We’re excited to see those guys compete," Ryan Day said

Julian Sayin appears to be the favorite to land the job, but redshirt sophomore Lincoln Kienholz and 5-star freshman Tavien St. Clair will compete for a chance to get on the field.

The quarterback battle is one of the most compelling stories in the Big Ten this offseason and will be worth keeping an eye on before the fall.