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FOX Sports CFB analyst Matt Leinart compares Dwayne Haskins to former Ohio State QB
By Andrew Olson
Published:
FOX aired its college football season preview show for 2018 (even though the season is technically underway, but not for the Power 5) this Sunday. When it came time for the crew to take an in-depth look at Ohio State’s on-field situation, former USC quarterback Matt Leinart made a comparison that should excited the Buckeyes fanbase.
“This kid, and we saw it in a small sample size last year, he played extremely well in a hostile environment (against Michigan),” Leinart said of QB Dwayne Haskins. “He’s big. He can throw the football downfield, and it’s very similar to Cardale Jones a few years ago when J.T. Barrett got hurt. That offense looked completely different with the ability to attack the backs, attack the secondary. You combine that with JK Dobbins and the offensive line and really talented guys on the outside, this is a scary, explosive offense with Dwayne Haskins. We’ll see how he develops this year.”
Haskins having a Jones-like year would make for a memorable season in Columbus. Jones famously stepped in for the injured Barrett making his first career start in the 2014 B1G Championship Game, which OSU won 59-0 over Wisconsin. From there, Jones guided the Buckeyes to a pair of wins in the College Football Playoff, earning Ohio State a national championship.
Haskins played in eight games last season, going 40-of-57 passing for 565 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. He also ran the ball 24 times for 86 yards.
A former Florida beat reporter, Andrew writes for the Saturday Tradition News Desk.