Saturday was an emotional day in Columbus with Ohio State staging its first spring football game since the passing of Dwayne Haskins, who was struck and killed by a vehicle in Fort Lauderdale a month before what would have been his 25th birthday.
Haskins led all of college football with 50 touchdowns and 4,831 passing yards in 2018, establishing school records in both marks. Ohio State went 13-1 that season, culminating in a Rose Bowl win over Pac-12 champion Washington, with Haskins earning MVP honors on the strength of three touchdowns in what would be his final collegiate game.
The Buckeyes paid homage to the late quarterback by painting his initials on the seven-yard-line, a nod to Haskins’ uniform number at Ohio State. That was also his number with the Washington Commanders, who drafted him with the 15th overall pick in 2019.
C.J. Stroud, an all-conference selection and the Big Ten’s leading passer a season ago, commemorated Haskins by donning his jersey during Saturday’s scrimmage.
Players also honored Haskins’ memory with helmet decals bearing his initials and a moment of silence.
A four-star high-school recruit who committed to the Buckeyes over scholarship offers from Florida, Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan and Notre Dame, Haskins appeared in 16 games including 13 starts over three NFL seasons spent with Washington and Pittsburgh. The NFL community mourned his death with countless tributes from former teammates including Chase Claypool, Terry McLaurin, Parris Campbell, TJ Watt and Cameron Heyward.
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