Known more for eating the hearts of the Big Ten’s best players and coaches, it appears that Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields has adopted a different approach to nutrition ahead of a season in which many expect him to be on a shortlist of Heisman Trophy favorites.

“My wife would be pleased to tell you that he’s been on a vegan diet,” Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said Friday. “He’s done a great job; he’s leaner, he’s faster, he’s done a great job of taking care of himself, he’s a more complete player.”

That’s far from the only change Fields’ coaches and teammates have seen from the second-year starter in the past six months though.

Beyond taking care of his body, which Wilson said requires separate meals set aside for the reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year at team facilities, the Buckeyes are raving about Fields’ evolution as a hands-on leader throughout the pandemic and return to play.

“Anyone who’s coming in who’s fresh and new, they don’t want to assume that role right away,” redshirt senior tight end Jake Hausmann said. “He’s always been a natural leader, but I think within the past six months or so, he’s been a lot more vocal and guys have been following his lead.”

Fields earned the respect of the team with his on-field performance, given his 51-touchdown, three-interception season at the helm of the offense a year ago, and likely won over any other doubters by spearheading the #WeWantToPlay movement in the past month-and-a-half.

But it’s what Fields has done outside the view of the public that redshirt senior tight end Luke Farrell said has brought him to another level.

“He has made huge strides in being an outspoken leader of our offense and our team, and I think that has just rallied everybody around him even more than when he was producing on the field,” Farrell said. “What he’s doing off the field has been incredible.”

Hausmann said that just the other day during practice, Fields took it upon himself to personally run routes in an effort to show the tight ends exactly how he would like them executed.

“He’s a really hands on guy, and he’s vocal about it,” Hausmann said. “He’s given us all these coaching points about what angle we want to break it off at, and how we’re supposed to be coming out of it.”

Wilson said not being able to work with a live defense or with pads on has been a hindrance to knowing the full extent of Fields’ improvements on the field, but said Day and quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis have worked with him on understanding blitzes better and shoring up fundamentals.

Above all else though, Fields has impressed Wilson –– like most other figures associated with the team it seems –– most in his efforts to take ahold of the team in a manner in which he may not have been ready to last year.

“I think probably where he’s grown the most is a year ago he came in as a quarterback, but as a new guy, I don’t think he tried to force being a little bit more of a leader,” Wilson said. “Now that he’s had a great year, he has some great leadership skills. I just think he’s doing a really good job of being a little bit more of what you think that quarterback’s gonna be as a leader.”

With the Oct. 24 season start date approaching, Fields will soon have a chance to show both his mental and physical improvements against Nebraska.