A minute of silence was observed by attendees before the start to remember the late general, and there were constant reminders of Haskins throughout the annual report between the red and gray teams. Buckeye helmets wore “DH” decals and coaches wore “DH” pins, while Haskins’s initials were also painted on the lawn near the 5-yard line at the southeastern end of Ohio Stadium. Ohio State fans and alumni also erected a memorial to Haskins outside the stadium known as the Horseshoe. A tribute video for Haskins was played at halftime before Ohio State coach Ryan Day gathered his team for a prayer on the pitch. A total of 11 players on the current Ohio State team played with Haskins in 2018. Haskins died when he was fatally struck by a vehicle in Florida on April 9. He was 24 years old. Haskins became a star during his unforgettable career as the Buckeyes’ main general in 2018. The sophomore set a school record of one season in passing yards (4,831), passing touchdowns (50), completion rate (70.0), completions (373) , passing Yards per game (345.1), total attack (4,939) and total touchdowns (54). Haskins led the Buckeyes to a 13-1 record in 2018, winning a Big Ten Conference championship and a Rose Bowl victory. Haskins became the MVP of both games. Haskins’s legacy in the State of Ohio set a new standard in the QB position for the prestigious university. After Haskins, Justin Fields met that standard in his two seasons in the State of Ohio and continued to be selected in the first round by the Chicago Bears. Continuing this QB excellence right now begins QB CJ Stroud, who wore the Haskins No. 7 jersey for Saturday night. Finishing third in the Heisman Trophy and a semifinal for the Maxwell Award, Haskins has decided to retire from the last years of his eligibility in the State of Ohio after his excellent second year. Haskins was selected in the first round (No. 15 overall) in the NFL 2019 draft by Washington. After starting seven games in the back of his rookie season, Haskins was named a first-team starter in 2020 after a massive QB training camp. After posting a 1-3 record in four weeks, Haskins’s bench in the middle of the season preceded a turbulent season that ended with his release from the club. The Steelers offered Haskins a fresh start before the 2021 season and there he won a backup role. Although he did not see any snapshots in his first season with Pittsburgh, Haskins was offered by the club before the 2022 season and was due to take part in another QB competition before his tragic death.
