Justin Fields is still fighting to try to save Ohio State this season.
A day after launching a petition on MoveOn.com that has already received more than 220,000 signatures asking the Big Ten to “resume the 2020 football season immediately”, while players and teams can make their own choices about playing or opt-out, Fields appeared Monday morning on Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin of ESPN Radio to discuss why he feels such a conviction to press for Ohio State to have the chance to play this fall.
The first reason why: Ohio State seniors.
“The guys who are back in their fifth year are recovering from an injury, I think we owe it to those guys the most,” Fields said. ‘I’ve just seen all the work they’ve put behind the scenes and how much they really care, and I also believe that all the coaches and all the parents of the players want us to play, and they’re safe with the guidelines too. which Ohio State has instituted. ”
What is @justnfieldss message to Big 10 Commissioner Kevin Warren and OSU Director Gene Smith?#WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/wxrdAOIHEk
– ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) August 17, 2020
Even though Fields is already projected to be a first-round pick in the NFL’s 20FL draft, he’s still fighting to play another season with the Buckeyes because of his love for the game.
‘My love for college football, and my love for my teammates at Ohio State. “I’ve seen the boys fight back from injuries, and I’ve seen how hard our coaches have fought for us to play, so really just for them, and just my love for the game,” Fields said.
Fields said he’s not sure it’s even him and his teammates yet that the Big Ten have postponed their season, but that it will if they are stuck playing this fall at home and other conferences. And the fact that the ACC, SEC and Big 12 have not yet canceled their seasons is reason enough for Fields to believe that the Big Ten should carry forward as well.
“If the SEC, ACC and Big 12 all think we can have a safe season, I see no reason why the Big Ten can’t do the same,” Fields said. ‘If we sit at home and watch the other conferences, I think that’s going to hit deep somewhere. Sometimes it does not hurt so much until you realize you are not playing, but I think the players do not realize how much it affects them once they play other conferences and other schools, and we just do not sit at home. ‘
“If the SEC, ACC and Big 12 all think we can have a safe season, then I see no reason why the Big Ten could not do the same.”
@justnfields on the Big Ten postponing fall sports pic.twitter.com/ibAjBsDkIm
– ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) August 17, 2020
Asked why he would be willing to take the risk of playing COVID-19 this fall, the Ohio State quarterback said he understands the risks, but believes he and his teammates are safer the Woody Hayes Athletic Center then that they “off-campus just do something.”
“I think COVID, you can contract it anywhere, but I personally feel safer at the facility, running around my teammates, knowing that my teammates will test twice a week,” Fields said. “In my opinion, this is the safest environment for me and my teammates. That I would have to argue that with me the facility is safer for me and my teammates than just being out and about. ”
Fields said the last few weeks have made him realize how big a voice he has, and he – along with other college football stars like Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence – are using that voice to make their case why they should play this fall.
“I just think we now finally realize how great a voice we have,” Fields said. “I think COVID and the season are canceling, I think that has not sat much on many college footballers around the country. So I think this situation not only makes us realize that we have a voice in college football, but it also brings us together in terms of making one voice and becoming more powerful together, and that shows that I am judging in the past weeks or so on social media. I find it a great thing. ‘
Fields is of the opinion that Ohio Day coach Ryan Day, his assistant coaches and athletic director Gene Smith also all fought ‘very hard’ for the Buckeyes to get the chance to play this fall.
“Whether it’s in the spring, or it’s in the fall, I just know they’ve put countless hours into phone calls and just talk to everyone they can to just have a season,” Fields said. “I know it’s important to him, and it’s absolutely important to the players, so that’s exactly what we want to do right now.”
