My interview with Oklahoma safety Patrick Fields, who has committed to Stanford as a grad transfer, is completed. Below are key quotes. The rest will be saved for the article.
"It was big. Especially with everything we went through with COVID and Coach Riley leaving. It was a surreal moment for me. Just to wrap up my career at OU in a good way. Just a surreal moment going out the right way."-On being named Alamo Bowl defensive MVP and beating Oregon in the Alamo Bowl.
"So I was recruited by Stanford out of high school, but I really committed to Oklahoma to save a spot. I always wanted to go to Stanford. When it didn’t work out, I still had the dream of going to Stanford. I don’t know if Coach Akina believed me when I said it, but I told him I had the plan of grad transferring to Stanford. Stanford was my number one school out of high school. Actually, when I committed to Oklahoma, I really wanted to go to Oklahoma, but a month or so later, Stanford started recruiting me. So, from that point on, I wanted to go to Stanford and the plan was for me to flip to Stanford. But I couldn’t early enroll. That’s why I didn’t go. I was also kinda behind. I was going to have to return for a second semester and take three AP classes. Which would have been too much. But they recruited me hard out of high school after I committed to OU."-On his journey to Stanford.
"I spoke to Coach Doyle, I went to the MS&E department and got everything completed on my end. I assumed they’d accept me because of my relationship with them. It was a leap of faith because I applied and got in on an academic scholarship and had to hope they’d want to have me."-On his application process and confirmation that he was in.
"Coach Akina is probably on vacation right now. I don’t know for sure, but I assume when I told him I was gonna grad transfer he probably didn’t believe me. Just because of Stanford being how hard it is to get in. It’ll be interesting to see what Coach Akina and them think. Just crazy how this all played out."-On his plan to come to Stanford and relationship with Coach Akina.
"I’m just a field general. Somebody who’s gonna call out plays, pre-snap. Somebody who’s vocal and a leader. Somebody who’s gonna be committed to playing for this university. I’m gonna do whatever I can do to be a better leader. Devote whatever I can to the team. I want to fill whatever role Coach Shaw sees for me. I was a two-year captain at Oklahoma, but I don’t want to come in and declare myself captain. I want to earn the respect of my teammates. I’m humble enough to be at the bottom of the totem pole or the top of the totem pole if that’s how this all plays out."-On what he'll bring to Stanford.
"I think obviously what it represents academically and just being around likeminded people. Silicon Valley is big for tech. Just being around a collaborative and high thinking environment. What I’m doing now hasn’t been doing before. Me being able to go from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Stanford and have my platform as a football player is going to be a big inspiration for kids from my hometown. The last two months I’ve been watching YouTube videos of Stanford to see what it’s like. I took a leap of faith. I went through the whole application process without help. I just did the whole thing assuming they’ll take me. It was a big leap of faith because I didn’t know if any of this was going to work out the way I thought it would. Class starts Monday, no turning back."-On why Stanford has been his dream school.
"It was big. Especially with everything we went through with COVID and Coach Riley leaving. It was a surreal moment for me. Just to wrap up my career at OU in a good way. Just a surreal moment going out the right way."-On being named Alamo Bowl defensive MVP and beating Oregon in the Alamo Bowl.
"So I was recruited by Stanford out of high school, but I really committed to Oklahoma to save a spot. I always wanted to go to Stanford. When it didn’t work out, I still had the dream of going to Stanford. I don’t know if Coach Akina believed me when I said it, but I told him I had the plan of grad transferring to Stanford. Stanford was my number one school out of high school. Actually, when I committed to Oklahoma, I really wanted to go to Oklahoma, but a month or so later, Stanford started recruiting me. So, from that point on, I wanted to go to Stanford and the plan was for me to flip to Stanford. But I couldn’t early enroll. That’s why I didn’t go. I was also kinda behind. I was going to have to return for a second semester and take three AP classes. Which would have been too much. But they recruited me hard out of high school after I committed to OU."-On his journey to Stanford.
"I spoke to Coach Doyle, I went to the MS&E department and got everything completed on my end. I assumed they’d accept me because of my relationship with them. It was a leap of faith because I applied and got in on an academic scholarship and had to hope they’d want to have me."-On his application process and confirmation that he was in.
"Coach Akina is probably on vacation right now. I don’t know for sure, but I assume when I told him I was gonna grad transfer he probably didn’t believe me. Just because of Stanford being how hard it is to get in. It’ll be interesting to see what Coach Akina and them think. Just crazy how this all played out."-On his plan to come to Stanford and relationship with Coach Akina.
"I’m just a field general. Somebody who’s gonna call out plays, pre-snap. Somebody who’s vocal and a leader. Somebody who’s gonna be committed to playing for this university. I’m gonna do whatever I can do to be a better leader. Devote whatever I can to the team. I want to fill whatever role Coach Shaw sees for me. I was a two-year captain at Oklahoma, but I don’t want to come in and declare myself captain. I want to earn the respect of my teammates. I’m humble enough to be at the bottom of the totem pole or the top of the totem pole if that’s how this all plays out."-On what he'll bring to Stanford.
"I think obviously what it represents academically and just being around likeminded people. Silicon Valley is big for tech. Just being around a collaborative and high thinking environment. What I’m doing now hasn’t been doing before. Me being able to go from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Stanford and have my platform as a football player is going to be a big inspiration for kids from my hometown. The last two months I’ve been watching YouTube videos of Stanford to see what it’s like. I took a leap of faith. I went through the whole application process without help. I just did the whole thing assuming they’ll take me. It was a big leap of faith because I didn’t know if any of this was going to work out the way I thought it would. Class starts Monday, no turning back."-On why Stanford has been his dream school.
