Expectations for Justin Fields are incredibly high this season now that he is the starter at Ohio State. The former No. 1 overall recruit and Georgia Bulldog transferred to the Buckeyes this offseason, battled for the first string spot and last week was named the starter for the 2019 season.
Though he’s never actually started a college game, his name can already been found on plenty of preseason Heisman watch lists. I’m not sure I would take it that far, but I have very little doubt that Fields is going to perform well in Columbus. He may not have been utilized much at Georgia, but his skillset is undeniable. Like it or not, Georgia fans: Fields is likely going to have a very solid career.
The dual-threat quarterback showed flashes of brilliance last season, and when he took off running the way he smoothly carried the ball reminded a lot of people of Cam Newton.
Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson is one name in the Buckeyes coaching staff that is blown away by Fields’ speed with the ball. In an interview with Saturday Tradition, he raved about the speed that Fields has, saying he’s “maybe as fast as I’ve seen at quarterback.”
“When he takes off running, he’s maybe as fast as I’ve seen at quarterback,” Wilson said.
In high school, Fields showcased his speed every Friday night, rushing for over 2,100 yards and 30 touchdowns on 310 carries in high school. 247Sports noted that he also ran a 4.51 40-yard dash in high school.
Don’t expect to see Fields running around the field too much for the Buckeyes, though. Head coach Ryan Day has no intentions of making him mainly a running quarterback. Last year we did not see Dwayne Haskins, who was more than capable of running for some serious yards, run the ball much. Expect more of the same this year with Fields.
