The Zeitgeist List · coaching
Ohio State: a coaching history
See Ohio State’s full 91-year Zeitgeist History →← all coaches
Program GOAT
Woody Hayes
0 Dynasty · 23 Blue-Blood seasons
Built by
Woody Hayes
Power Program I → Blue Blood (+22.4)
The fall
John Cooper
Power Program I → Power Program I (−9.2)
Right now
Ryan Day
the 3rd-best of Ohio State's 9 coaches so far
Ryan Day is the 3rd-best of Ohio State's 9 coaches so far.
Stature & coaches, 1936–2026
The program’s standing over time, with every coach’s tenure beneath it — read down to see who was there for each rise and fall.
Every coach
2018–now
Ryan Daysustainer
Blue Blood
70–10
2012–2018
Urban Meyersustainer
Blue Blood
83–9
2001–2010
Jim Tresseltransformer
+12.3
106–22
1988–2000
John Cooperinheritor
−9.2
111–43
1979–1987
Earle Bruceinheritor
Blue Blood
81–26
1951–1978
Woody Hayestransformer
+22.4
205–61
1947–1950
Wesley Feslerinheritor
Power Program I
21–10
1941–1943
Paul Browncaretaker
Power Program I
18–8
1936–1940
Francis Schmidtcaretaker
Power Program II
25–14