One recent quote could define Justin Fields’ time at Ohio State
In just one season playing football at Ohio State, Justin Fields lit up the Big Ten and led the Buckeyes to the precipice of the National Championship game.
But beyond the wins and his impressive stats (3,273 passing yards, 41 TDs, 3 INTs, 484 rushing yards, and 10 rushing TDs), Fields came right into the fold and became a genuine leader at Ohio State. That leadership carried over into an off-season defined by chaos and questions, and Fields has carried the torch as the representative for Ohio State in the fight for a 2020 fall season.
Throughout this turbulent off-season that finally saw the Big Ten reinstate the fall season on Sept. 16 and announce the schedule Sept. 19, Fields continually applied pressure to the Big Ten and it’s leadership to let the players play, even leading a #WeWantToPlay petition that amassed 300,000 signatures.
When times looked darkest, Fields easily could have declared for the 2021 NFL Draft, with his status as a first-round draft pick solidified. However, a quote from a conversation he had with Ohio State head coach Ryan Day could be what defines his legacy as a Buckeye.
‘Coach, the NFL will come one day. I want to win a national championship with this team and I want to win a Heisman Trophy.’
While there’s no real way to know for sure, it seems that without this leadership and desire to stay and compete for a National Championship, many things may not have happened. Wyatt Davis and Shaun Wade would probably leave, if a Big Ten season was ever reinstated at all.
Next. Big Ten not absolved of their stupidity. dark
A quote like the one Fields said to Coach Day can put a lot of pressure on a player. However, the way that Fields has delivered during his time at Ohio State means this quote could be what defines his legacy as a Buckeye if he delivers a national championship.