Per 97.1 The Fan Columbus Ohio Former Georgia Backup QB Justin Fields will Transfer To Ohio State
January 4th, 2019 at 1:37 PM ^
Come on...
Deep in your heart of hearts you know he will get the waiver.
January 4th, 2019 at 1:41 PM ^
I think that the reason that so many people think that he will be cleared is the current political climate. Not commenting on whether or not I agree with the climate - no politics - but in today's world, if you invoke racism, there is a good chance that people will make significant efforts to accommodate you. Just a reality. Again, no comment on whether this is good or bad.
January 4th, 2019 at 2:02 PM ^
You are absolutely correct.
January 4th, 2019 at 2:05 PM ^
The argument against would be that if it so bad that he needs to transfer, why then would he not have left immediately instead of staying the whole season? If your argument is that you do not feel safe on campus, staying would lead one to believe that you do not feel it is that dangerous.
January 4th, 2019 at 2:26 PM ^
Exactly my thought. If it’s so bad you have to leave, why did you stick around on the sideline, in the locker room, and on campus?
January 4th, 2019 at 3:02 PM ^
Because maybe he wanted to finish out the school year. People on this board are hilarious. “It’s because of the current political climate”, excuse me, I never knew it was cool to yell out racial slurs at football games. Then people are upset the kid was offended. If a guy is that brave to say something that blatant in a stadium full of people, then that definitely speaks to the environment he is playing in. Would this same fan say the same thing sitting in the stands at a Cass Tech/King football game?
January 5th, 2019 at 5:49 AM ^
I think one fan of millions saying something, which he didn’t hear directly sets an extremely low bar for transfers in the future.
The other thing is his sister is staying at UGA.
Those are the two obvious arguments against eligibility as I see it. Nobody is condoning dropping nbombs at games and just because one guy says it doesn’t mean the entire stadium condones it. Obviously it doesn’t as evidenced by the fact he was removed from the baseball team.
January 4th, 2019 at 2:03 PM ^
Most people that think he will get a waiver are basing it on:
1. The same lawyer that got Shea Patterson his waiver is representing Fields, and has indicated he's confident in the outcome.
2. The NCAA has proven over and over again in the last decade that they are toothless and don't want any confrontation.
3. The optics for the NCAA would be terrible if they don't grant the waiver. Media reports aren't usually nuanced, and when they are, most people hear about the reports 2nd hand, and only get the non-nuanced summary from a friend or a forum or a tweet or whatever. So regardless of whether it's fair or not, the NCAA has to be looking at whether they're really prepard for a news cycle in which an NCAA athelete calls another NCAA athlete a racial slur in a public venue, and they tell the recipient that it's not a valid reason to want to leave the school.
4. The NCAA is moving in the direction of making everyone eligible to play without sitting out. The implementation of the "grad-transfer immediately eligible to play" was one step in that direction. Granting a bunch of players eligibility based on being lied to by their coach (which was never before seen as a valid reason to transfer) was another step in that direction. It seems natural to suspect that they're willing to take the next step.
I personally don't think he should get the waiver given the current rules, but I also don't think an athlete should ever need to sit out a year when transferring, so I have mixed emotions.
January 4th, 2019 at 1:50 PM ^
If he gets immediate eligibility then anyone should be able to transfer whenever they want. Any one want to take a tour of some schools with bags of money? We could use a DT, DE, LB, Safety, RB, T or 2.
January 4th, 2019 at 3:24 PM ^
This is exactly why they came up with the transfer rule in the first place. Teams used to raid each other's players like crazy.
If they get rid of the transfer rule, no lower level P5 school or G5 school will ever be able to graduate any good player.
It works in our favor, but it's a crappy thing for college football.
January 4th, 2019 at 1:57 PM ^
A definite boost for OSU, but he'll be as good as the OL, just like every other QB.....and OSU's OL recruiting is awful.......
/s
January 4th, 2019 at 1:57 PM ^
Ohio state is always going to Have a good Qb, bring it, Michigan will always have to beat a quality Ohio team, they will not have down years in recruiting as proven with all the crap that has gone on. Michigan has to start beating them for any of this to remotely change
January 4th, 2019 at 3:18 PM ^
Once in a while I find myself feeling sorry for LSU and Auburn because they could have a season where they are the second best team in all of college football, and they can't even win their division.
Then I catch myself and realize that we are essentially in the same position.
We will have to be a top 4 or 5 team every single year, just to win our division.
So . . . where are we on that?
January 4th, 2019 at 4:39 PM ^
Well, you can always follow Washington or USC.
January 4th, 2019 at 1:58 PM ^
Fields has as much of a case for immediate eligibility as Ed Davis had for getting a sixth year. ANd of course, as with Davis, he will probably get it.
January 4th, 2019 at 2:13 PM ^
Crap.
If Justin Fields does get immediate eligibility (which in my opinion, I doubt he will bc his excuse of hearing a racial slur from a Georgia baseball player is super lame in my opinion), he has the potential to be even a more dynamic threat than Haskins was.
January 4th, 2019 at 3:00 PM ^
The rich get richer.
January 4th, 2019 at 3:06 PM ^
Looks like Martell's going to need to start working on his own transfer.
Hey Martell, I used to live in Ohio. I know some people if you need to be called a bad name to qualify for a hardship.
What would you like?
January 4th, 2019 at 3:09 PM ^
whoever is the QB won't have Michael Jordan on the line protecting them next year
January 4th, 2019 at 3:24 PM ^
If he becomes eligible immediately, then the transfer restrictions are effectively over.
Think about what gets said on Twitter after any loss. Think about the heat everyone of OSUs defensive players got after the Purdue game. And a chunk of those Twitter idiots are definitely students at OSU. So all of those players can transfer and become eligible immediately? Because another student called them a name? Gtfo
January 4th, 2019 at 3:33 PM ^
If he becomes eligible immediately, then the transfer restrictions are effectively over.
You are probably right. We don't make the rules, but at some point you have to recognize them for what they are.
Time to go shopping, y'all.
January 4th, 2019 at 4:03 PM ^
Not surprised. I sort of doubt he'll get immediate eligibility, but who the hell knows.
He's a talented QB, but from what I've gathered part of the reason they didn't use him as much at Georgia as maybe they'd like is that his passing is limited and there were some structural issues. Now, that doesn't mean he won't improve, but he's not a Patterson-type who could start from Day 1 necessarily.
January 4th, 2019 at 5:43 PM ^
Huh? his passing is limited? are you serious Clark? Go watch the Elite 11 program when he went up against the current starting QB at Clemson Trevor Lawrence and THRU PASSING smoked Trevors ass....SMOKED. Fields has one of the best QB coaches on God's green earth in Quincy Avery (Shea and Haskins coach as well) and has no issues throwing the ball. Now if we want to talk about OUR QB, I'm all ears.
January 4th, 2019 at 4:15 PM ^
This is wishful thinking by delusional OSU fans. OU has Fields more or less wrapped up according to my OH contacts. They are just waiting on clearance vibes from the NCAA.
Maybe it will come down to who has the best bagmen. Lord knows Oklahoma has the money cannon with all their oil tycoons.
EDIT ... not good, my source just told me Murray may be back at OH for his last year of eligibility and Haskins is going into the draft so OSU looks like Fields' landing spot.
January 4th, 2019 at 4:29 PM ^
I have no reason to believe you, but I like your version of events so i'm going with that.
I would laugh my ass off if OU got him. OSU would be left with a pissed off Martell who they clearly think is not the answer, on top of chasing off their top QB recruit with the Fields rumors.
January 4th, 2019 at 8:43 PM ^
Official...he’s announced he’s going to OSU
January 4th, 2019 at 4:20 PM ^
Fields is now technically the highest rated recruit/player to ever go to OSU. His .9998 barely beats Terrelle Pryors .9997
January 4th, 2019 at 4:22 PM ^
Fields SHOULDNT have immediate eligibility. The baseball player that said something racist to him was immediately dealt with.
That being said due to the current political climate in the US, the NCAA will probably allow him to be eligible immediately to avoid controversy
January 4th, 2019 at 4:24 PM ^
What more evidence do we need?
Ohio State is going full Big 12.
If you're not scoring 40, you're not beating Ohio State.
Your move, Coach Harbaugh. Coach? Hello, Coach?
January 4th, 2019 at 4:42 PM ^
Someone get this guy a Xanex.
January 4th, 2019 at 7:06 PM ^
Harbaugh is calm enough already—I think meth is a better prescription... maybe we'd get an effective 2-minute offense out of it. It's worth a shot.
January 4th, 2019 at 8:23 PM ^
You know Jim is calculated and that next year is about as good a year as any to restart the whole rivalry against a new coach. Harbaugh knows this is it. And for us Michigan fans it’s an eerie feeling similar to Rodriguez, or Hoke in their final year. This does have a different feeling. I don’t see Harbaugh as a weak coach on his way out. I believe Harbaugh will make the necessary changes going into 2019. Look at post 2017. This team is close but not quite there and needs one more piece and that’s a top flight OC. There are guys out there. I believe Matt Canada is still out there. He’d Fisch and Wheatley are options on the table if he could mend those fences. Major Applewhite is out there. If you wanted to toy with the Buckeyes a bit go after Kevin Wilson and stab him away. There are options.
January 5th, 2019 at 6:00 AM ^
Canada would be a great hire but I think he’s still at UMD technically.
January 4th, 2019 at 4:39 PM ^
Why on earth would Fields get immediate eligibility?
January 4th, 2019 at 5:51 PM ^
Apparently being easily offended is grounds for immediate eligibility now. The kid is a pussy so I don't even care if he goes to OSU. The damage he does to their culture if he becomes a leader there will be more significant than the work he does on the field.
January 5th, 2019 at 7:22 AM ^
That’s my biggest concern. OSU fans have seen many divas walk through the Woody over the years, the most notable and recent being TP. Obviously that didn’t end well. It’s a different culture these days and I can’t see one guy blowing it up but it does make me a tad uneasy.
I rarely post here but I want to thank the admins for the fine work. I used to camp out on the rivals boards years ago and chat up UM fans. When I am curious about what your fanbase is feeling, I come here. I still have ptsd from my undergrad years (‘97) when it comes to the rivalry but for you younger guys, I never thought the program would dominate UM like this. Good luck in ‘19.
January 4th, 2019 at 5:44 PM ^
Way to early to say if Fields will be great or not. Having him and Tate Martell though is like having an elite insurance policy. The odds of them both not being very good is slim. The biggest advantage that schools like Bama and Ohio State have with recruting is just the pure amount of depth. Injuries don’t cause down years, and if a recruit does bust they have another top 100 recruit right behind them.
January 5th, 2019 at 4:16 PM ^
We have Patterson, McCaffrey, Peters, and Milton, all of whom were ranked top ten among pro-style QB recruits. At least among QBs, we should not have to worry about depth.
January 4th, 2019 at 6:33 PM ^
Ohio State-done deal
January 4th, 2019 at 9:06 PM ^
Yep, Fields just announced it himself.
January 4th, 2019 at 9:06 PM ^
Yep, Fields just announced it himself.
January 4th, 2019 at 8:08 PM ^
I think it's more about fit than pure talent. We won't know how good he really is until we see him in meaningful situations. But Day is going to be a big draw for QB's, and OSU's system, imo, is a better fit for Fields than Georgia's is.
Martell isn't winning himself any fans in Columbus right now, though there's no doubting his talent. He tweeted to Fields, some time ago, to be careful about transferring. I don't have the exact quote memorized (saw it on 11 Warriors earlier), but there was a comment about not making the same mistake twice.
January 4th, 2019 at 9:02 PM ^
When is Brandon Peters going to transfer?
Or is he?
January 4th, 2019 at 10:34 PM ^
We don't give a damn
for the whole state of Ohio
January 5th, 2019 at 3:20 AM ^
Good for Fields. UM needs to find a way to beat the Buckeyes on the football field. That's all I care about.
January 5th, 2019 at 8:47 AM ^
A write up I found
By buckeye in georgia on 19:41:33 01/04/19
A few things that are important to know/consider as you read this.
1. Justin Fields lives in a very affluent part of the county. Average home price is minimum $300K with most north of $500K. There are few (if any) multi-family buildings. Honestly, I can't think of any in the Harrison High School district, but there might be a couple. That said, Harrison is pretty unique from a demographic perspective when compared to the rest of the county.
2. In 8th grade, Justin played Bruce Cobleigh's (google him, great guy and the best X/O high school coach I've ever known) Wing T system.
3. In high school, the years he started, they still ran the Wing-T, but it wasn't traditional. They spread the field a little more, put the QB in the gun, and "played with 11". They also added a bunch of specific stuff to Justin's skill set. I noticed this past season that they went back to more fundamental Wing-T principles.
So, knowing all of that, this is what I can tell you.
The first time I coached against him I was pretty sure that I lost. That was 2012. Going back and looking at it, I had a 5-4 team that season and some of the names on that team kind of make me uncertain, now. Justin was a little on the smaller side that season, but clearly their best athlete. Basically, stop him and you win the game. Remember, they were traditional Wing-T at the time. But they were heavier pass than run with Fields, so most plays ended up looking like RPO stuff. If he didn't like what he saw, he pulled it down and went.
In 2013, he played 8th grade again. I know we beat him that season because we finished 10-2 (lost first game of the season and then in the semi finals). Justin got taller, but wasn't any thicker. He was pretty skinny that season. But still, clearly, the best athlete on the field every time he stepped on it.
So, he was very, very good as an 8th grade QB. But probably not in the top five that I've seen at that age. The kid at Marietta (Harrison Bailey) is probably the best I've ever seen. He was 6'2" 190 in 8th grade and got his first offer at the end of his 8th grade season. My QB this past season is probably number two on the list. He's 6'2" 205 and got his first offer half way through the season (he was also a redshirt).
Moving on to high school, we played him twice. We lost to him his junior year and we beat him his senior year. A couple things to note, though. Justin grew up. He was, without question, the best football player on the field both seasons. We were able to hang and then win because our demographic is way, way different than Harrison. So, we have athletes all over the field. Harrison has a few in spots and they have Justin Fields. Harrison is a 500 team without him. They are elite with him. The kid carried the team, basically. He only really had one outstanding receiver to throw the ball to. But, he used the whole field, spread the ball around, and ran it whenever he wanted to. He was, without a doubt, the best high school QB I've ever watched play. He takes over games and his team rallies around him. The best comparison has been made many times on this site. He is a Cam Newton type player.
To close it out, we also played Trevor Lawrence twice in the same two high school seasons. He beat us both times. But he was also surrounded by athletes that matched up with ours at every position. We got to him. We rattled him. But he had enough around him to help him. Justin didn't get rattled and he didn't have the same athletes helping him. Justin carried his team. Lawrence took advantage of his (that isn't meant to be a slam on Lawrence, he did his job). That said, give me Justin Fields every day and twice on Saturday. He's a better football player than Trevor Lawrence, IMO.
January 5th, 2019 at 5:00 PM ^
He sounds like locker room poison. He demanded to play as a true freshman. Then he failed to beat out competition and transferred because he cared about personal playing time more than team success.
He will poison the locker room. And if Martell transfers, that is only bad news for OSU because their depth chart takes a hit in favor of a selfish celebrity.
January 5th, 2019 at 10:11 PM ^
In all honesty I do not think he is eligible for a hardship waiver . A UGA baseball team member (Adam Sasser) while in the stands during the Tennessee game on September 30 made a racial comment in connection with wanting Fields to be put in the game (for which he later publicly apologized, spoke to Fields personally, and was kicked off the UGA baseball team). UGA coach Kirby Smart stated Fields was not phased by the racist comment. I do not believe for a minute he actually continues to feel threatened by the comment to the extent it creates an actual hardship. His little sister Jaiden is still a recently committed freshman UGA softball player per her twitter page. Rather, I truly believe he was threatened by the fact he would be sitting behind Jake Fromm. My firm belief is that Fields is playing the race card to get the waiver to transfer for a better playing opportunity. He will be a welcome addition to the OSU team but the waiver rationale is a little bit disingenuous in my view.
If the waiver is unlikely then Haskins may well be staying.