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Justin Fields must be ready for chaos, making quick decisions vs. Clemson, says ESPN’s David Pollack
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There’s been very little criticism of Justin Fields through his first full season as the starting quarterback at Ohio State. The sophomore has handled every challenge, and every defense, thrown his way.
Clemson is a completely different monster, though, unlike anything the Buckeyes have seen this season. And with Fields not quite at 100 percent with only a few days until the Fiesta Bowl, ESPN’s David Pollack says it could be a challenge for the Ohio State gunslinger.
During the College Football Podcast with Herbie & Pollack, the ESPN analyst said Fields needs to be ready for chaos from the Clemson defense, and should be prepared to make quick decisions in the pocket. Pollack says that’s something Fields really hasn’t been forced to do much this season.
Here’s what Pollack had to say about Fields on the podcast, as transcribed by 247Sports:
“He’s going to have to make quick decisions — and that’s not something he does all the time,” ESPN college football analyst David Pollack said on Monday’s episode of The College Football Podcast With Herbie & Pollack. “And I say that — he will hold the ball in the pocket for a long time. If you’ve watched college football, I don’t know that there’s anybody who’ll sit there and chill and be more comfortable than him. It’s amazing. It’s a gift. He doesn’t stress and get too crazy, which is a good thing.
“But he’s just going to have know his answers and he’s going to have to be ready for some chaos. Venables is going blitz. There is no doubt. He is. You’re going to see somebody on the sidelines holding him back by his cord and keeping him off the field because he is so aggressive and so antsy, and he is going to bring pressure no matter who he plays. If he plays (New England Patriots quarterback) Tom Brady and (former Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos quarterback) Peyton Manning, he’s going to blitz. That’s who he is. That’s what he is. Justin Fields has to be ready for that.
“He has to be ready for chaos, has to be ready to scramble and make plays, to be comfortable making jump balls to (sophomore wide receiver Chris) Olave and he’s going to have to be comfortable knowing those things and knowing that he’s going to get heated up and have to make decisions quickly and sometimes take off and run and sometimes — guess what? — he’s going to get Venables giving him different looks in the zone-read game and he’s not going to be super comfortable and letting him slow-play it. He’s going to make him speed up that decision and make the end take the dive and sometimes the end will take the quarterback and sometimes exchange responsibilities. And just the decision making of Fields will be huge.”
Fields has been outstanding all season, accounting for over 3,000 total yards with 50 touchdowns and just one interception. But his mobility could be an issue against Clemson, after suffering a knee injury against Michigan.
The sophomore was not nearly as mobile in the B1G Championship Game against Wisconsin in early December, and the Badgers were able to get to Fields early in the game. Wisconsin took a 21-7 lead into halftime before the Buckeyes dominated on both sides of the football for the final 30 minutes.
Fields said during media availability this week that he’s about “80 to 85 percent” healthy, but hopes to be at full strength for the Fiesta Bowl. He plans on wearing a smaller knee brace Saturday for the matchup.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB