Breaking news: Justin Fields is not only one of the best quarterbacks, but one of the best players in college football.
Those truths were recognized once again on Monday, when Fields was named a semifinalist for both the Maxwell Award, which honors the best player in college football, and the Davey O'Brien Award, which honors the nation's best quarterback.
Fields was already a finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award and a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award last year, and he's been even better this year, even though he hasn't had as many games to rack up statistics.
Fields currently leads the Football Bowl Subdivision with a 78.1 completion percentage and ranks fourth nationally with a 196.1 passer rating. He's thrown for 1,407 yards and 15 touchdowns with just three interceptions in five games, and he ranks eighth nationally with 10.3 yards per passing attempt. He's also rushed for 239 yards and five touchdowns.
Troy Smith is Ohio State's only previous winner of the Davey O'Brien Award (2006), but four Buckeyes have won the Maxwell Award: Hopalong Cassady (1955), Bob Ferguson (1961), Archie Griffin (1975) and Eddie George (1995).
Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade was also named Monday as one of 12 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, which honors college football's best defensive back. While Wade hasn't been quite the shutdown cornerback that he was expected to be in his move to the outside for the Buckeyes this season, he has come up with a pair of clutch interceptions in their past two games, including a pick-six against Indiana, and is one of Ohio State's top defensive leaders as a team captain.
Wade looks to join previous Jim Thorpe Award winners Antoine Winfield (1998) and Malcolm Jenkins (2008) to become the third winner of the award in Ohio State history. Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah was a finalist last year – and many felt he was snubbed – when the award went to LSU safety Grant Delpit.
Wade was also named one of 24 semifinalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which honors a top defensive player for both his performance on the field and character off the field.
Fields and Wade join linebacker Pete Werner, who was named last week as a Butkus Award semifinalist, as semifinalists for national awards recognizing on-field play. Punter Drue Chrisman has also been named a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy, which honors college football's top scholar-athlete.
