The Hayes firing came after a loss to Clemson in the 1978 Gator Bowl when OSU athletics director Hugh Hindman pulled the job away after Hayes punched Clemson’s Charlie Bauman following a game-clinching interception.
The Saban firing was following the 35-28 OSU victory over Navy in the 1981 Liberty Bowl.
After that game, Earle Bruce — who had taken over for Hayes — trimmed three coaches off his defensive staff, including Dennis Fryzel, his defensive coordinator.
According to Bruce at the time, Saban told him, “If Denny goes, I go, too.”
Bruce said he had no intention of letting Saban go, but he did. Saban coached for two seasons on the Buckeyes’ defensive staff. Saban’s career started as a grad assistant at Kent State and he also was the head coach at Toledo for one season.
Hayes and Bruce are in the College football Hall of Fame, as will be Saban, who ironically took the place of Pete Carroll, who left Ohio State to coach at N.C. State. Carroll stepped down as head coach of Seattle Seahawks this week.
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