He was also notorious for his temper when on the football field, which eventually cost him his job at OSU following the 1978 Gator Bowl. During that game, he punched Clemson player Charlie Baumann on the sidelines after Baumann had clinched the game for Clemson with an interception in the closing seconds.
Before joining OSU, he coached at Denison University for three years and at Miami University (Ohio) for two. Hayes' lifetime record of 238-72-10 places him sixth in all-time NCAA Division I-A coaching victories.