Since Ryan Day didn’t recruit Justin Fields out of high school, he didn’t have too much clarity about some of the quarterback’s intangibles, including his toughness.
Sure, Day knew how much Fields impressed at the Elite 11 by winning MVP honors. He knew all about the speed that has him clocking 4.4-second 40-yard dashes. He knew about the arm that he has used to throw 18 touchdown passes with just one interception in the first six games.
As for Fields’ toughness? Day needed to see it, and he couldn’t quite get a gauge even by the end of preseason camp in August.