Ohio State QB says one call was the difference in last year’s loss to Clemson
Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields said Monday night that he had one major takeaway after last year’s Fiesta Bowl loss to Clemson.
“The biggest thing that I’ve learned, just playing on a big stage like this, is one play can change a whole game, whatever that play may be,” Fields said in previewing Friday night’s Sugar Bowl rematch.
According to Fields, the play that swung Ohio State’s 29-23 College Football Playoff semifinal loss last year wasn’t the game-ending interception he threw late in the fourth quarter or any play that happened late in the game.
Instead, Fields believes it was a targeting penalty that was called on Buckeyes safety Shaun Wade early in the second quarter. OSU led Clemson 16-0 and the Tigers were about to punt the ball back to Ohio State. The penalty was called when Wade sacked Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence on a blitz.
The penalty extended Clemson’s drive, and the Tigers went on to score. Clemson outscored Ohio State 29-7 after Wade was ejected.
“Last year it was the targeting call on Shaun Wade. From that point on the momentum just changed,” Fields said. “So really just play your hardest on each and every play, and just one play can change the whole outlook of the whole game.”
Ryan Day throwing shade at Brent Venables?
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day was asked about the challenge of facing Brent Venables’ defenses, which are consistently among the best in the nation.
The Tigers are currently No. 6 nationally in total defense and have finished in the top 10 for seven consecutive years.
Day hinted that stealing signs has helped Venables’ units.
“He’s one of the best defensive coordinators in college football, and he does a great job calling the game. Seems to always know exactly what the other team is doing in terms of the plays that they’re running each play and seems to call the right defense into that play a lot,” Day said. “And why that is, I don’t really know. But I can tell you that he’s been doing it for a long time, and it’s a good challenge.”
Day is not the first coach to suggest Clemson was stealing signs this year.
Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly said in November that it has happened to his Irish team against Clemson before. Notre Dame huddled in both meetings with Clemson this year, rather than signaling plays in.
“I think you have to be cognizant of it and be aware of it,” Kelly said last month. “There’s no question it’s something that we are dealing with. We’ve lived it and we’re prepared for it.”
CFP schedule: Clemson vs Ohio State football game
Who: No. 2 Clemson (10-1) vs. No. 3 Ohio State (6-0)
Where: Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, at Mercedes-Benz Superdome
When: 8 p.m. Friday
TV: ESPN
——OTHER CFP GAME——
In Arlington, Texas, No. 1 Alabama (11-0) vs. No. 4 Notre Dame (10-1), 4 p.m. Friday on ESPN.
This story was originally published December 28, 2020 at 7:39 PM.
