Two days before Penn State won the 2016 Big Ten championship, the team received a pledge from a potential future quarterback.
Five-star 2018 quarterback Justin Fields committed to the Nittany Lions on Dec. 1. He later reopened his recruitment before then starting his career at Georgia.
One season later, Fields transferred to Ohio State, where he proved himself worthy for a first-round selection in the 2021 NFL draft.
But what if Fields remained committed to Penn State?
Ramifications on Penn State’s quarterback room
With Fields hypothetically joining the Penn State quarterback room, there’s many changes that could’ve happened to the group.
However, Trace McSorley likely remains the starter in 2018, which is the same as reality. Franklin didn’t start 5-star Drew Allar over Sean Clifford in 2022, and this would be a similar situation.
A year later is when the first major change would happen. Fields would become the starter from 2019-20. It’s possible a quarterback competition happens between him and Clifford. Fields, who finished in the top 10 in Heisman Trophy voting twice, would win any potential battle.
Clifford probably transfers out. It’s hard to imagine the 2017 signee sticking around for four years in Happy Valley before getting a legitimate chance to start.
Quarterback Will Levis (7) and Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields (1) hug after the game against Ohio State at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. No. 2 Ohio State defeated No. 8 Penn State 28-17.
Aabha Vora
With Fields still gone to the 2021 NFL draft and Clifford gone in this scenario, there’s a good chance 2018 signee Will Levis becomes the new starter for 2021-2022. Levis sitting behind Fields for three years before taking the reins for his final two seasons is a reasonable career path.
If Allar still commits to Penn State, he would be the starter in 2023 to the present day, bringing this hypothetical back to how the actual quarterback room played out.
Does Penn State reach a four-team College Football Playoff?
While the Buckeyes’ staff helped develop Fields into a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, it’s still possible he could be at the same talent level with the Nittany Lions. He would always be a 5-star talent and Penn State has seen a successful dual-threat under Franklin before with McSorley.
Thus, Fields could still have his standout years even in the blue and white, so better playoff odds would be in the cards.
Fields led Ohio State to playoff appearances in both 2019 and 2020. If he had been with Penn State, it begs the question: Could he still bring similar results, particularly in 2019 when the blue and white went 11-2?”
The lack of high-end quarterback play were reasons for Penn State’s losses to Minnesota and Ohio State in 2019. Clifford threw three interceptions against the Golden Gophers and just 71 yards versus the Buckeyes before getting benched.
For reference, Fields totaled 3,273 passing yards, 51 total touchdowns and three interceptions that year. If the Nittany Lions had that sort of production from the position, they’d have much better chances to head to the playoff undefeated with a Big Ten championship win like Ohio State did.
In the shortened 2020 season, Fields threw for 2,100 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. Penn State had a lot go wrong that year before finishing with a 4-5 record. It’s unlikely Fields could boost the team from a losing record to the playoff.
AP
With no Fields, Ohio State could’ve turned to Chris Chugunov, Fields’ backup, to be its starter.
Chugunov had 286 passing yards and six touchdowns across his garbage time appearances in 2019.
The Buckeyes also could’ve gone after a different quarterback in the transfer portal as well, but without an option at the same level of Fields, a 10-2 or 11-1 record could’ve happened instead of 12-0.
2020 signee C.J. Stroud could’ve been the starter a year earlier than he initially did. He threw for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns in his college career, so it’s plausible he wins the starting job even as a freshman and the team sees success similar to reality.
For Georgia, not much would change. Fields didn’t start in 2018, so the Bulldogs’ 11-3 season probably still happens.
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