COLUMBUS — Ohio State has its quarterback.
Justin Fields is eligible for the 2019 season after the NCAA granted him a waiver for immediate eligibility Friday. He gives the Buckeyes a dynamic playmaker at the sport’s most important position and enhances the expectations in Ryan Day’s first season as head coach.
“To Buckeye Nation, thank you for your warm welcome,” Fields said in a statement. “I will work hard to represent you and The Ohio State University in a professional and respectful manner. My dad always tells me that ‘you can’t get to where you’re going by looking in the rear view mirror.’ I’m ready to move forward and embrace the next season of my life.”
Fields, a native of Kennesaw, Ga., is the second high-profile quarterback in as many years to be given a waiver, joining Michigan’s Shea Patterson, who also was represented by attorney and transfer savant Tom Mars.
“I’m happy for Justin and all the Buckeye fans who’ve been anxiously waiting for his decision,” the meticulous Mars told The Blade. “Justin’s not only a great quarterback, he’s also an exceptionally mature young man with a bright future. It was a privilege to help Justin and his family as they went through this process.
“I learned last year that there are consequences to wearing a Michigan sweatshirt to The Game, and I won’t make that mistake again. I’ll need to find a way to cheer for both Justin and Shea next season without causing everyone in the stands to glare at me.”
Justin Fields on Michigan: pic.twitter.com/ucRslLFPs8
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) February 6, 2019
Fields sought immediate eligibility citing the NCAA’s egregious behavior bylaw, the same rule Patterson used to play in 2018 at Michigan. It states a waiver will be granted “in cases where the student-athlete was a victim of objective, documented egregious behavior by a staff member or student at the previous institution and the previous institution supports the waiver.”
Jeremiah 29:11... pic.twitter.com/7Z3j90Q305
— Justin Fields (@justnfields) January 5, 2019
On Sept. 29, a Georgia baseball player directed racial slurs at Fields during a Georgia-Tennessee football game. The all-SEC first baseman, Adam Sasser, yelled, “Put the [N-word] in the game,” multiple times.
The university opened an anti-discrimination/anti-harassment investigation of the incident through the school’s Equal Opportunity Office and Sasser was dismissed from the baseball team.
Fields was one of the highest-rated shortstop recruits in the country and is considered a professional baseball prospect. But he wasn’t comfortable joining the Georgia baseball team because of the slurs directed toward him, a source said.
Georgia filed a written response Jan. 24 with the NCAA, objecting to Fields and Ohio State’s waiver request before acquiescing, paving the way for a cordial resolution.
“I wonder if any[one] in the NCAA has suffered the humiliation of being top-rated, good at what you do, but no matter what you do, being called a racial name,” Rev. Al Sharpton said on his MSNBC show Sunday.
“What it does to your skills, your character, what it does to your mind as you prepare to go out and do what you excel at, which only generates dollars and attention for the college you attend, I would hope the NCAA realizes that to take him off the field a year for transferring because of racism is in many ways to cosign the insults that he’s had to endure. We need this nation to stand up and say the victims cannot be penalized.”
Fields announced his transfer to Ohio State on Jan. 4 and enrolled Jan. 7 so he could take part in winter workouts and spring practice. The former five-star recruit backed up Jake Fromm in 2018, completing 27 of 39 pass attempts for 328 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound dual-threat also ran for 266 yards and four touchdowns on 42 carries, an average of 6.3 yards per carry.
“I am happy for Justin and his family,” Day said. “I also want to express my appreciation to the NCAA for its assistance in getting this matter resolved efficiently and with such a positive outcome for Justin.”
Fields, the nation’s No. 2 overall recruit in the class of 2018, will compete with redshirt freshman Matthew Baldwin for Ohio State’s starting quarterback position, with Fields entering the contest as a heavy favorite. The recruit ranked above Fields was Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the MVP of the national championship game. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Fields beat out Lawrence for the Elite 11 MVP.
Now, 132 days after Sasser’s reckless comments, Fields is poised to deliver on the promise he envisioned at Georgia.
“I will not be speaking about my transfer again,” Fields said. “Instead, I will focus all of my attention on getting to work in the classroom and on the field.”
First Published February 8, 2019, 9:27 p.m.
