Topzle Topzle

List of Ohio State Buckeyes head football coaches

Updated: Wikipedia source

List of Ohio State Buckeyes head football coaches

The Ohio State Buckeyes college football team represents the Ohio State University in the East Division of the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes compete as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The program has had 25 coaches since it began play during the 1890 season. The Buckeyes have played over 1,200 games over 125 seasons. In those seasons, nine head coaches have led the Buckeyes to postseason bowl games: John Wilce, Wes Fesler, Woody Hayes, Earle Bruce, John Cooper, Jim Tressel, Luke Fickell, Urban Meyer, and Ryan Day. 13 coaches have won conference championships with the Buckeyes: Albert Herrnstein, John Richards, Wilce, Francis Schmidt, Paul Brown, Carroll Widdoes, Fesler, Hayes, Bruce, Cooper, Tressel, Meyer, and Day. Five coaches led the Buckeyes to national championships: Brown, Hayes, Tressel, Meyer, and Day. Hayes is the all-time leader in games coached and years coached with the Buckeyes, while also leading all coaches in victories (205). Meyer currently holds the highest winning percentage of all Buckeye coaches (.902), with a record of 83–9 through seven seasons. David Edwards holds the lowest winning percentage of any Buckeye head coach (.167), going 1–7–1 in the only season that he coached. Of the 24 Buckeye head coaches, Howard Jones, Wilce, Schmidt, Fesler, Hayes, Bruce, Cooper, Tressel, and Meyer have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The previous head coach of the Buckeyes was Urban Meyer who was hired in November 2011 and then announced December 4, 2018, he would retire following the Rose Bowl. Ryan Day then became the new coach of the Buckeyes.

Tables

General
DCs
DCs
#
DCs
Number of coaches
Divisional championships
CCs
CCs
#
CCs
Number of coaches
Conference championships
NCs
NCs
#
NCs
Number of coaches
National championships
#
Number of coaches
Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
#
Number of coaches
DCs
Divisional championships
CCs
Conference championships
NCs
National championships
Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
Overall
OW
OW
GC
OW
Games coached
Wins
OL
OL
GC
OL
Games coached
Losses
OT
OT
GC
OT
Games coached
Ties
O%
O%
GC
O%
Games coached
Winning percentage
GC
Games coached
OW
Wins
OL
Losses
OT
Ties
O%
Winning percentage
Conference
CL
CL
CW
CL
Wins
Losses
CT
CT
CW
CT
Wins
Ties
C%
C%
CW
C%
Wins
Winning percentage
CW
Wins
CL
Losses
CT
Ties
C%
Winning percentage
Postseason[A 6]
PL
PL
PW
PL
Wins
Losses
PT
PT
PW
PT
Wins
Ties
PW
Wins
PL
Losses
PT
Ties
· Coaches
Alexander Lilley
1890
1890–1891
Alexander Lilley
#
1
Name
Alexander Lilley
Term
1890–1891
GC
8
OW
3
OL
5
OT
0
O%
375
CW
CL
CT
C%
PW
PL
CCs
DCs
NCs
National awards
Frederick Ryder
1892
1892–1895
Frederick Ryder
#
2
Name
Frederick Ryder
Term
1892–1895, 1898
GC
46
OW
22
OL
22
OT
1
O%
500
CW
CL
CT
C%
PW
PL
CCs
DCs
NCs
National awards
Charles Hickey
Charles Hickey
#
3
Name
Charles Hickey
Term
1896
GC
11
OW
5
OL
5
OT
1
O%
500
CW
CL
CT
C%
PW
PL
CCs
DCs
NCs
National awards
David Edwards
David Edwards
#
4
Name
David Edwards
Term
1897
GC
9
OW
1
OL
7
OT
1
O%
167
CW
CL
CT
C%
PW
PL
CCs
DCs
NCs
National awards
John Eckstorm
1899
1899–1901
John Eckstorm
#
5
Name
John Eckstorm
Term
1899–1901
GC
29
OW
22
OL
4
OT
3
O%
810
CW
CL
CT
C%
PW
PL
CCs
DCs
NCs
National awards
Perry Hale
1902
1902–1903
Perry Hale
#
6
Name
Perry Hale
Term
1902–1903
GC
21
OW
14
OL
5
OT
2
O%
714
CW
5
CL
2
CT
0
C%
714
PW
PL
CCs
DCs
NCs
National awards
Edwin Sweetland
1904
1904–1905
Edwin Sweetland
#
7
Name
Edwin Sweetland
Term
1904–1905
GC
23
OW
14
OL
7
OT
2
O%
652
CW
4
CL
1
CT
1
C%
750
PW
PL
CCs
DCs
NCs
National awards
Albert Herrnstein
1906
1906–1909
Albert Herrnstein
#
8
Name
Albert Herrnstein
Term
1906–1909
GC
39
OW
28
OL
10
OT
1
O%
731
CW
17
CL
6
CT
1
C%
729
PW
PL
CCs
1
DCs
NCs
National awards
Howard Jones†
Howard Jones†
#
9
Name
Howard Jones†
Term
1910
GC
10
OW
6
OL
1
OT
3
O%
750
CW
5
CL
1
CT
2
C%
750
PW
PL
CCs
DCs
NCs
National awards
Harry Vaughan
Harry Vaughan
#
10
Name
Harry Vaughan
Term
1911
GC
10
OW
5
OL
3
OT
2
O%
600
CW
4
CL
1
CT
2
C%
714
PW
PL
CCs
DCs
NCs
National awards
John Richards
John Richards
#
11
Name
John Richards
Term
1912
GC
9
OW
6
OL
3
OT
0
O%
667
CW
5
CL
0
CT
0
C%
1.000
PW
PL
CCs
1
DCs
NCs
National awards
John Wilce†
1913
1913–1928
John Wilce†
#
12
Name
John Wilce†
Term
1913–1928
GC
120
OW
78
OL
33
OT
9
O%
688
CW
37
CL
30
CT
4
C%
549
PW
0
PL
1
CCs
3
DCs
NCs
National awards
Sam Willaman
1929
1929–1933
Sam Willaman
#
13
Name
Sam Willaman
Term
1929–1933
GC
41
OW
26
OL
10
OT
5
O%
695
CW
14
CL
8
CT
4
C%
615
PW
PL
CCs
DCs
NCs
National awards
Francis Schmidt†
1934
1934–1940
Francis Schmidt†
#
14
Name
Francis Schmidt†
Term
1934–1940
GC
56
OW
39
OL
16
OT
1
O%
705
CW
30
CL
9
CT
1
C%
763
PW
PL
CCs
2
DCs
NCs
National awards
Paul Brown
1941
1941–1943
Paul Brown
#
15
Name
Paul Brown
Term
1941–1943
GC
27
OW
18
OL
8
OT
1
O%
685
CW
9
CL
6
CT
1
C%
594
PW
PL
CCs
1
DCs
NCs
1 – 1942
National awards
Carroll Widdoes
1944
1944–1945
Carroll Widdoes
#
16
Name
Carroll Widdoes
Term
1944–1945
GC
18
OW
16
OL
2
OT
0
O%
889
CW
11
CL
2
CT
0
C%
846
PW
PL
CCs
1
DCs
NCs
National awards
AFCA Coach of the Year (1944)
Paul Bixler
Paul Bixler
#
17
Name
Paul Bixler
Term
1946
GC
9
OW
4
OL
3
OT
2
O%
556
CW
2
CL
3
CT
1
C%
417
PW
PL
CCs
DCs
NCs
National awards
Wes Fesler†
1947
1947–1950
Wes Fesler†
#
18
Name
Wes Fesler†
Term
1947–1950
GC
37
OW
21
OL
13
OT
3
O%
608
CW
13
CL
10
CT
2
C%
560
PW
1
PL
0
CCs
1
DCs
NCs
National awards
Woody Hayes†
1951
1951–1978
Woody Hayes†
#
19
Name
Woody Hayes†
Term
1951–1978
GC
276
OW
205
OL
61
OT
10
O%
761
CW
152
CL
37
CT
7
C%
793
PW
5
PL
6
CCs
13
DCs
NCs
5 – 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970
National awards
AFCA Coach of the Year (1957)Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (1957, 1968, 1975)Walter Camp Coach of the Year (1968)
Earle Bruce†
1979
1979–1987
Earle Bruce†
#
20
Name
Earle Bruce†
Term
1979–1987
GC
108
OW
81
OL
26
OT
1
O%
755
CW
57
CL
17
CT
0
C%
770
PW
5
PL
3
CCs
4
DCs
NCs
National awards
AFCA Coach of the Year (1979)Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (1979)Woody Hayes Trophy (1979)
John Cooper†
1988
1988–2000
John Cooper†
#
21
Name
John Cooper†
Term
1988–2000
GC
158
OW
111
OL
43
OT
4
O%
715
CW
70
CL
30
CT
4
C%
692
PW
3
PL
8
CCs
3
DCs
NCs
National awards
Jim Tressel†
2001
2001–2010
Jim Tressel†
#
22
Name
Jim Tressel†
Term
2001–2010
GC
128
OW
94
OL
22
OT
O%
810
CW
59
CL
14
CT
C%
808
PW
5
PL
4
CCs
6
DCs
NCs
1 – 2002
National awards
AFCA Coach of the Year (2002)Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (2002)Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (2002)Woody Hayes Trophy (2002)
Luke Fickell
Luke Fickell
#
Int
Name
Luke Fickell
Term
2011
GC
13
OW
6
OL
7
OT
O%
462
CW
3
CL
5
CT
C%
375
PW
0
PL
1
CCs
DCs
NCs
National awards
Urban Meyer†
2012
2012–2018
Urban Meyer†
#
23
Name
Urban Meyer†
Term
2012–2018
GC
92
OW
83
OL
9
OT
O%
902
CW
54
CL
4
CT
C%
931
PW
5
PL
2
CCs
3
DCs
7
NCs
1 – 2014
National awards
Woody Hayes Trophy (2012)
Ryan Day
Ryan Day
#
24
Name
Ryan Day
Term
2019–present
GC
86
OW
76
OL
10
OT
O%
896
CW
49
CL
5
CT
C%
907
PW
4
PL
3
CCs
2
DCs
3
NCs
1 — 2024
National awards
#
Name
Term
GC
OW
OL
OT
O%
CW
CL
CT
C%
PW
PL
CCs
DCs
NCs
National awards
1
Alexander Lilley
1890–1891
8
3
5
0
375
2
Frederick Ryder
1892–1895, 1898
46
22
22
1
500
3
Charles Hickey
1896
11
5
5
1
500
4
David Edwards
1897
9
1
7
1
167
5
John Eckstorm
1899–1901
29
22
4
3
810
6
Perry Hale
1902–1903
21
14
5
2
714
5
2
0
714
7
Edwin Sweetland
1904–1905
23
14
7
2
652
4
1
1
750
8
Albert Herrnstein
1906–1909
39
28
10
1
731
17
6
1
729
1
9
Howard Jones†
1910
10
6
1
3
750
5
1
2
750
10
Harry Vaughan
1911
10
5
3
2
600
4
1
2
714
11
John Richards
1912
9
6
3
0
667
5
0
0
1.000
1
12
John Wilce†
1913–1928
120
78
33
9
688
37
30
4
549
0
1
3
13
Sam Willaman
1929–1933
41
26
10
5
695
14
8
4
615
14
Francis Schmidt†
1934–1940
56
39
16
1
705
30
9
1
763
2
15
Paul Brown
1941–1943
27
18
8
1
685
9
6
1
594
1
1 – 1942
16
Carroll Widdoes
1944–1945
18
16
2
0
889
11
2
0
846
1
AFCA Coach of the Year (1944)
17
Paul Bixler
1946
9
4
3
2
556
2
3
1
417
18
Wes Fesler†
1947–1950
37
21
13
3
608
13
10
2
560
1
0
1
19
Woody Hayes†
1951–1978
276
205
61
10
761
152
37
7
793
5
6
13
5 – 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970
AFCA Coach of the Year (1957)Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (1957, 1968, 1975)Walter Camp Coach of the Year (1968)
20
Earle Bruce†
1979–1987
108
81
26
1
755
57
17
0
770
5
3
4
AFCA Coach of the Year (1979)Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (1979)Woody Hayes Trophy (1979)
21
John Cooper†
1988–2000
158
111
43
4
715
70
30
4
692
3
8
3
22
Jim Tressel†
2001–2010
128
94
22
810
59
14
808
5
4
6
1 – 2002
AFCA Coach of the Year (2002)Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (2002)Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (2002)Woody Hayes Trophy (2002)
Int
Luke Fickell
2011
13
6
7
462
3
5
375
0
1
23
Urban Meyer†
2012–2018
92
83
9
902
54
4
931
5
2
3
7
1 – 2014
Woody Hayes Trophy (2012)
24
Ryan Day
2019–present
86
76
10
896
49
5
907
4
3
2
3
1 — 2024

References

  1. A running total of the number of coaches of the Buckeyes. Thus, any coach who has two or more separate terms as head coa
  2. The Big Ten began divisional play in 2011. From 2011–2013 they were in the Leaders division, from 2014 on they have been
  3. Ohio State did not join a conference until 1902.
  4. Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.
  5. When computing the win–loss percentage, a tie counts as half a win and half a loss.
  6. The Big Ten Conference began a conference championship game during the 2011 season and the results are included in the c
  7. Charles Hickey was hired part-way through the 1896 season and student coached the team in several games.
  8. Ohio State finished the 2010 season with an overall record of 12–1 and a conference record of 7–1. Ohio State voluntari
  9. Luke Fickell was named interim head coach in May 2011, following the resignation of Jim Tressel.
  10. Ryan Day was named acting head coach during the three-game suspension of Urban Meyer at the beginning of the 2018 season
  11. "Ohio State Buckeyes Coaching Records"
    http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/osu/graphics/pdf/m-footbl/10_p102to131.pdf
  12. "Ohio State football: Meyer signs contract"
    http://www.buckeyextra.com/content/stories/2011/11/28/28-urban-meyer-accepting-job.html
  13. "Urban Meyer Announces Retirement Following Rose Bowl, Ryan Day To Take Over As Ohio State's Next Head Coach"
    https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-football/2018/12/100250/urban-meyer-announces-retirement-following-rose-bowl-ryan-day-to-take-over-as-ohio-states-next-head-coach
  14. "Ohio State Records – Head Coaching Records"
    http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/osu/graphics/pdf/m-footbl/10_p102to131.pdf
  15. USA Today
    https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2006-08-24-overtime_x.htm
  16. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/06/sports/college-football-big-plays-help-paterno-to-200th.html
  17. "History of Ohio State Football"
    http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/osu/graphics/pdf/m-footbl/10_p132to175.pdf
  18. College Football Hall of Fame
    https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1533
  19. College Football Hall of Fame
    https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1300
  20. College Football Hall of Fame
    https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1587
  21. "AFCA Coach of the Year Award – Past Winners"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20101205052158/http://www.afca.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9300&ATCLID=639381
  22. College Football Hall of Fame
    https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1381
  23. College Football Hall of Fame
    https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1846
  24. "Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award Winners"
    https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/robinson.html
  25. "Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award Winners"
    https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/camp-coy.html
  26. College Football Hall of Fame
    https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=2070
  27. www.tdccolumbus.com
    http://www.tdccolumbus.com/tdc-trophies.html
  28. College Football Hall of Fame
    https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=2229
  29. USA Today
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2015/01/09/college-football-hall-of-fame-2015-class-tressel-bosworth-bill-snyder-trev-alberts/21483257/
  30. "Ohio State vacates all 2010 victories"
    https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=6749330
  31. "Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award Winners"
    https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/bryant.html
  32. "Luke Fickell Named Interim Ohio State Football Coach"
    http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2011/03/30/story-columbus-fickell-interim-coach-ohio-state-football.html
  33. USA Today
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/bigten/2018/08/01/ryan-day-ohio-state-interim-head-coach/885712002/
Image
Source:
Tip: Wheel or +/− to zoom, drag to pan, Esc to close.