What nerves? Backup QB chillin’
Haskins comes off bench cold, turns up heat in Michigan.
Dwayne ANN ARBOR, MICH. — Haskins remembered a couple of moments of confusion.
The Ohio State backup quarterback also heard a few jokes to lighten the mood. And when he finally stepped on the field, there is a distinct memory of the simple advice he received from his center.
But any nerves? Nah, Haskins doesn’t recall feeling any of those despite being thrust into perhaps the most pressurized introduction to the Michigan rivalry that any young quarterback could possibly have.
And based on what he did after coming off the bench cold, on the road, replacing an Ohio State legend and leading a comeback from down a touchdown, there is no reason not to believe Haskins after he helped etch 31-20 into the record books in another unforgettable edition of The Game on Saturday at the Big House.
“It was really unreal, honestly,” Haskins said. “You would think you would be nervous, and honestly I wasn’t. I had the offensive line and the receivers and everybody behind me the whole entire way. I got the snap, and we just went out on the field and play by play it happened.
“I wasn’t even thinking about it, I forgot we were down. It was just, the first thing I was told when I got in the game by Billy (Price) was just to clap loud.”
Haskins handled that part with ease, and eventually it started giving the home crowd fewer reasons to applaud the Wolverines when it became clear that an injury to J.T. Barrett still wasn’t going to be enough for them to end a losing streak against the Buckeyes that now stands at six games.
Everything appeared to be trending Michigan’s way, particularly when a second-down scramble midway through the third quarter ended with Barrett unable to put weight on his right leg. As Barrett was helped up the tunnel to the visitors’ locker room, Haskins went the opposite direction as Ohio State scrambled to make a change at the most important position on the field.
And with bragging rights and a potential bid to the College Football Playoff hanging in the balance, Haskins delivered a drive that instantly will make him a mythical figure in The Game even before he gets a chance to start one.
“Yeah, Dwayne, wow,” coach Urban Meyer said. “We didn’t want to put him in harm’s way. You saw somewhat conservative in the beginning to let him settle in there, and then that’s when the offensive line (started improving).
“We had two or three first downs, and then he hit that one play which was phenomenal to Austin Mack. Then he scrambled for a big hit, you know, and he took care of the ball. That was the No. 1 thing: He took care of the ball.”
The Buckeyes punched it into the end zone at the end of his first drive, one that started with a relatively straightforward third-and-1 handoff to J.K. Dobbins to get Haskins into the flow.
It wasn’t exactly the smoothest of sailing after that, particularly after consecutive penalties for false starts turned a potential third-and-3 into a challenging third-and-long against one of the most aggressive defenses in the country.
But Haskins delivered a clutch throw to Mack, who more than held up his end of the deal by holding on to the football despite taking a huge hit on the 27-yard reception.
Haskins followed that up two snaps later with a 22-yard scramble that he thought was actually good for a touchdown. But Dobbins finished off that drive anyway on the next play, and Ohio State never would trail again.
“There’s a lot of credit that needs to go to Dwayne and his preparation throughout the week,” Price said. “He’s very calm and cool when he’s back there . ... The kid is a gifted, freak athlete. When you see what he did on thirdand-13 and to be able to convert on that, as a 19-yearold man, that’s incredible.”