Examining the Powerful Voice, Platform of College Football Stars Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence

Justin Fields, Trevor Lawrence among players that spearheaded the #WeWantToPlay movement.

Author:
Tyler Stephen
Updated:
Aug 16, 2020 12:35 PM EDT

There is no questioning the influence that high profile college athletes have in today’s society. The Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) issue surrounding the NCAA in recent months has pushed this fact further into the limelight, as social media followings of some high-profile Division I athletes rival professional counterparts making millions.

As the the Big Ten and Pac-12 seasons began approaching postponement last week, and other Power Five conferences continually weigh their options, arguably the two-biggest stars in college football took center stage.

Both Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence began using their status to gain traction for a movement that swept across the nation. They have been the leading Heisman Trophy candidates, they remain the leading favorites to be the No. 1 overall pick in this next NFL Draft, and they emerged as the leading candidates to guide the charge of #WeWantToPlay.

Lawrence, who led Clemson to a national championship his freshman year, took to Twitter very late Sunday (as rumors began swirling) by posting the now-infamous #WeWantToPlay and #WeAreUnited graphic/message just after midnight.

Fields, a Heisman finalist last year with 51 total touchdowns during his first season in Columbus, joined the party just eight minutes later. The two standout signal callers, who memorably squared off in the College Football Playoff semifinal last December, were now jointly advocating that playing the season would be safer than the alternative.

The duo echoed feelings from many of their peers by suggesting that, if college football does not move forward, players will be sent home to their communities where social distancing is highly unlikely. Throughout summer workouts, players and coaches have been adhering to specific guidelines set forth to keep them safe. Both likely first-round picks reiterated that such safety measures would not be provided in as much depth without a season.

Fields posted that above tweet just two days before the Big Ten postponed football season until 2021. Coaches and players throughout the country jumped on the overwhelming train over the next 48 hours.

Although it unfortunately didn't work out for Fields and the Buckeyes, second-year Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is now pushing for an early January start in hopes of seeing his star QB suit up. Fields has only played one season as a starter in Columbus after transferring from Georgia, but is projected as a top-tier pick regardless.

“We want to play," Fields says in his petition. "We believe that safety protocols have been established and can be maintained to mitigate concerns of exposure to CoVID-19. We believe that we should have the right to make decisions about what is best for our health and our future.”

As of 2:00 p.m. eastern time on Monday, August 17, the petition has amassed nearly 250,000 signatures.

"I think Justin wants to see what the schedule is," Day said last Wednesday. "It’s our job to put a schedule and plan out quickly so that someone like Justin can plan his next few months. There was a report yesterday that maybe the NFL would consider moving the draft back and us having a winter/spring season. I think we need to start in the first week of January because it would allow a guy like Justin to play."

While the Big Ten made its decision, the ACC is still one of three Power Five schools looking to move forward as planned. It would give Lawrence, a huge favorite to be the NFL's top draft pick, one last shot to lace up and enjoy competing with college teammates.

Want to grasp just how notable the 20-year old, recognizable by his long blonde hair, truly is? Multiple outlets reported last week that Lawrence has spoken directly with President Donald Trump about saving the college football season.

Whether that is successful or not, one thing is for sure - Fields, Lawrence and other star players have used their platform in doing all they can to save college football in 2020.