The Buckeyes quarterback chose to use a different jersey for the contest in Haskins’s memory.
View the original article to see embedded media.
Ohio State football is playing its spring game today, and the team is honoring former Buckeye Dwayne Haskins in many ways, after the 24-year-old quarterback died last weekend. First, they painted his initials on the field and players are wearing “DH” decals on their helmets during the game.
But one player is honoring Haskins in his own way. Quarterback C.J. Stroud is playing in Haskins’s jersey for the game. The two already shared a number, but Stroud is wearing Haskins’s name plate as well.
Stroud had already been practicing in Haskins’s jersey with the messages “LLDH7” and “RIH Simba” written on it, and the quarterback clearly looked up to him. After he found out about Haskins’s passing, Stroud promised to keep his memory alive.
Stroud has a chance to follow in Haskins’s footsteps and become the third Ohio State quarterback drafted in the first round since 2019 when he is eligible next year.
Last season, Stroud joined Haskins as the only two quarterbacks to throw for over 4,000 in one season with Ohio State. Additionally, Stroud’s 44 passing touchdowns were second only to Haskins’s 50 touchdowns in 2018 as the most in a single season in Buckeyes history.
From Haskins to Justin Fields to Stroud, Ohio State has had a stretch of Heisman-caliber quarterbacks, and Stroud is set to build off his great 2021 season this year in Haskins’s memory.
More CFB Coverage: