A memorial in honor of Dwayne Haskins sits in front of the Ohio Stadium April 12, 2022 with notes, candles and flowers being placed throughout and after the candlelight vigil. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Lantern File Photo
On Nov. 25, 2017, Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett went down with an injury in the third quarter against Michigan.
Trailing 20-14 on the road and with its back against the wall, Ohio State threw an inexperienced redshirt freshman into the game.
The Wolverines could sense the pressure and importance of the moment, as they hadn’t won “The Game” since 2011.
That freshman was Dwayne Haskins.
That day, Haskins led the Buckeyes to 17 unanswered points to beat the Wolverines, and then went on to set numerous passing records in the 2018 season for Ohio State. After three years in the NFL, Haskins tragically died after he was struck by a vehicle in Florida.
In remembering Haskins, it’s important to recall not just who he was, but what he achieved — he redefined what it meant to be an Ohio State quarterback.
Haskins revolutionized the quarterback position at Ohio State. He worked with a young, ambitious offensive coordinator Ryan Day to rewrite the record books and lead the Buckeyes into the modern era of college football.
By 2016, the partnership of Barrett and former head coach Urban Meyer had grown stale, evidenced by a 31-0 Fiesta Bowl loss to Clemson.
And when Haskins became the starter in 2018, the offense erupted.
In Barrett’s final season in 2017, the offense attempted 409 passes. Haskins, in 2018, raised that total to 561 attempts — the most passing attempts in a single season in Ohio State’s history.
This marked a new era of quarterback play at Ohio State.
The symbiotic relationship between Day — who wanted to move the Buckeyes toward a modern, pro-style offense — and Haskins — who had a rocket for an arm and the confidence to make any throw — was a match made in heaven.
Haskins opened the offense up, allowing Day to show his creativity as a play-caller, which helped land him the head coaching job in 2018 upon Meyer’s departure.
The transformation of Ohio State’s quarterback landscape didn’t end with Haskins’ only full season as the start, but rather laid the foundation for a new era of elite quarterbacks.
Ohio State redshirt sophomore quarterback Dwayne Haskins (7) celebrates as he leaves the field following the Rose Bowl Game featuring Ohio State and Washington in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2019. Ohio State won 28-23. Credit: Casey Cascaldo | Lantern File Photo
Columbus was not exactly a dream quarterback destination prior to Haskins’ arrival. There was a long-maintained standard for quarterbacks to simply operate within the system, focusing on avoiding mistakes rather than elevating the team.
This culture was not very conducive to attracting top quarterback talent.
However, Haskins opened the eyes of many quarterbacks to the ample possibilities at Ohio State. Following Haskins’ 2018 breakout season with the Buckeyes, Justin Fields — who was previously one of the top quarterback recruits in the nation — transferred to Ohio State.
When Fields had committed to the Georgia a year prior, Ohio State was not even an active player in his recruitment. But after seeing Haskins’ season, Fields suddenly knew he had potential in Ohio State’s offense.
“We’ll never know if I’d have gone to Ohio State if he wasn’t there, but you can give him credit for starting something.” Fields said in 2022 regarding Haskins via Sports Illustrated. “Before him, there really wasn’t an elite passer at Ohio State for years before.”
Fields and Ohio State had mutual interest in one another by 2018 — only a season after the Buckeyes didn’t even make Fields’ shortlist — due to the possibilities that Haskins’ singular season had presented.
Fields continued to elevate the trajectory of quarterback play and was followed by C.J. Stroud, who did the same.
Stroud, who, during his time in Columbus, bore a close resemblance to Haskins’ aerial dominance, remarked in a 2022 press conference, “[Haskins] changed the culture at quarterback here, throwing 50 passing touchdowns.”
When Haskins left Ohio State after his only season as a starter, he became the first Buckeye quarterback selected in the first-round draft since 1982. After Haskins, Fields and Stroud made that three first-round quarterbacks in five years.
Most recently, after transferring from Kansas State, Will Howard also recognized the high-end Buckeyes quarterback play, turning down the NFL Draft and several other offers for a chance to start in Columbus.
In turn, he delivered a national championship and will soon be drafted into the NFL.
It feels reductive to delineate what credit belongs to Haskins versus Day.
“Ohio State and our program is forever in debt to Dwayne Haskins,” Day said his eulogy at Haskins’ funeral, adding, “We would not be where we’re at right now without Dwayne Haskins.”
Ultimately, Haskins was robbed of many things. His 2018 Buckeyes squad lost one game and missed the playoffs, still several years away from the expanded format that would have given them a chance at redemption.
He faced the cruelty of the NFL from the jump. He was selected by the then-Redskins organization 15th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, who seemingly failed to develop him and quickly moved on after two disappointing seasons.
Most tragically, he had his life taken from him far too early.
In celebrating the life of Dwayne Haskins, it is important to remember how he used his 24 years to leave behind a legacy.
When he first visited Ohio State as an 11-year-old, Haskins famously proclaimed, “I’m going to college here.”
And he didn’t just go to Ohio State. He changed it forever.
