If I Were Justin Fields…

by Chris Paschal

If I were Justin Fields, my butt would be heading straight to Mississippi State University. I say that for two main reasons – fit and opportunity. Full disclosure, this is all based on football. This has nothing to do with academics or the campus or proximity to home or whether he likes the uniforms or whether he likes cowbells or anything like that. This is purely based on football.

A Perfect Fit

Justin Fields would fit the offense at Mississippi State. Fields has the arm, talent, and size to play in Georgia’s offense, yes, but it wasn’t the best fit. Georgia is based on the ground game. Always has been and always will be. Their passing offense is built upon their rushing attack. The Dawgs love big, physical receivers and tight ends that challenge opposing team’s defenses and dominate on play-action passing plays down field. Don’t get me wrong, Fields could definitely do well in that kind of offense. But he also is big, strong, athletic, and absurdly fast for a quarterback. Fields would be best utilized in an offense that allowed him to call the shots. Fields needs to rush the ball 15-20 times and throw the ball 15-20 times. His talents would be best utilized in that kind of system, and he would become an elite quarterback. Fields, I think, would agree based upon where he almost signed before heading to Athens.

The RPO 

Before he signed with the Georgia Bulldogs, Fields was committed to Penn State. Why is that significant, you may ask? It was significant because Penn State’s Offensive Coordinator at the time was Joe Moorhead, now the head coach at Mississippi State. Joe Moorhead is considered by many to be the Godfather of the RPO (Run-Pass Option). He came up with the concept while trying to give the Fordham Rams (where Moorhead coached from 2012-2015) an extra edge on the offensive side of the ball. Basically, and RPO can be broken down into these three progressions. On the outside of the formation, if the opposing cornerback is lined up considerably off the ball, therefore allowing the offensive receiver to gain yardage on a quick throw, then the quarterback will throw the ball to the outside. If the cornerback is lined up just a few feet off of the wide receiver, the quarterback will then read the opposing team’s edge defender and determine if he either hands the ball off to the running back or keeps the ball himself and runs up field. For this offense to successfully work, not only does the quarterback of the offense need to be a great decision maker, but it helps if he is also athletic and mobile. Some of the best RPO quarterbacks are not only shrewd decision makers, but also fast as hell.

Moorhead has this offense at Mississippi State, and the Bulldogs are losing their quarterback in Nick Fitzgerald. Enter Justin Fields. The opportunity will be presented. Further, the Bulldogs have recruited phenomenally on defense, especially on the defensive line. This defense will keep Mississippi State in most games, just like they did this year when they finished near the top in almost every statistical defensive category. Mississippi State also returns Kylin Hill at running back, one of the Bulldogs best offensive weapons. With Hill at running back, defenses won’t be able to spy on Fields. Yes, Keytaon Thompson returns as the backup quarterback, and he has flashed great potential during his time at quarterback, but that would not be enough to deter me from testing the waters in Starkville. The opportunity will be presented.

Yes, I know this is a bit off the beaten path, and that it has only been suggested in jest, but if I was Justin Fields I would take a long, hard look at Mississippi State.

Other Possibilities

Of course, Auburn is being thrown around as a possibility, and I would not be shocked if Fields took a visit. He would have the opportunity of playing Georgia every year, which I am sure is alluring, and Gus Malzhan’s offense is built around athletic quarterbacks that can throw just as well as they can run.

If I am Penn State, I fight like hell to get Fields in State College. He was committed to Penn State before ultimately flipping to Georgia, and with Trace McSorley graduating, the opportunity is available for Fields to return to Penn State.

I think a dark horse contender could be UCLA. This is solely based on fit and need. UCLA was a bad football team in a bad division this year, but with Chip Kelly as the head coach, Fields might be lured out to Los Angeles to take over a team and build them not only into one of the best offensive teams in the PAC-12, but one of the better PAC-12 South contenders in a couple of years.

Another dark horse would be Florida State. The Seminoles need some new blood at the position, and Fields was strongly considering Florida State throughout his recruitment. That was when Jimbo Fisher was at the helm though, and with this offensive line, I don’t think I would let my worst enemy head to Tallahassee.

Of course, there is Texas A&M, where Jimbo Fisher is now. I don’t see it. Mond has played well and I think the Aggies are more focused on signing one of the best recruiting classes in the country than they are wooing Justin Fields.

I am always dumbfounded as to why elite quarterbacks don’t go to LSU. This team has it all: elite wide receivers, a solid rushing attack, and a great defense that can win championships. Fit-wise, I would love for Fields to play in a RPO, zone read-type offense, but he has the arm talent needed to compete in any offense, and LSU is just one quarterback away. (Will I ever be able to not write that?)

Am I drunk or just stupid?

Two teams that are probably lurking in the depths are Georgia Tech and Tennessee. Georgia Tech will need a total roster rebuild as Geoff Collins tries to build his program with a bunch of offensive players designed to run the triple option out of the flexbone. Nobodies job will be safe on the offensive side of the ball (except for maybe the running backs –Jordan Mason, Jerry Howard, Nate Cottrell), especially at quarterback. If Fields is looking to stay in the Peach State, he definitely would be welcomed at Georgia Tech, and I don’t think Collins would mind starting Fields over Tobias Oliver.

Tennessee, like LSU, would probably not be the best fit, but the opportunity might be there. Yes, I know Jarrett Guarantano played adequately this season, but throwing for less than 2,000 yards and 12 touchdowns ain’t exactly lighting the world on fire. Tennessee is recruiting at a high level right now, and the Vols are probably going to pull in one of the best offensive line recruiting classes in the country this season. Fields could go in, compete for a job, and be a part of one of the more exciting rebuilds in the SEC.