Ohio State football: 3 biggest surprises from 2019 season
By Phil Poling
3. Justin Fields’ dominance
In his first season at Ohio State — and as a full-time starter — Justin Fields turned in a Heisman-worthy campaign in 2019 at quarterback. It’s not his output that was a surprise, though, as Fields was a five-star recruit out of high school, but instead the quickness with which that success happened.
After averaging just three pass attempts and three rushes in a reserve role in 2018 at Georgia, Fields broke out in the Buckeyes’ opener. He threw for 234 yards and four touchdowns while adding 61 yards and another score on the ground. This performance wouldn’t be out of the ordinary, as Fields sustained that pace throughout the season. He finished with 41 touchdowns and 3,273 yards through the air and added 484 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. And until the playoff game, Fields had only thrown one interception all season.
Fields finished third in the 2019 Heisman Trophy voting, but LSU’s Joe Burrow won in a landslide. Burrow, who transferred to the Tigers from Ohio State, had more pass attempts than Fields had completions.
With two years of eligibility remaining, Fields and the Buckeyes are in a prime spot to reach the College Football Playoff again. They’ve yet to do so in back-to-back seasons, though. However, if anyone can lift the Buckeyes to the national championship again, it’s Fields.