Gabe Fields preps for upcoming senior season
By Jacob Meikel
Central senior Gabe Fields made one of the biggest decisions of his young life last week, committing to Vanderbilt University to continue his football career.
A decision that was worth mulling over came to a conclusion last Friday, as Fields went to social media to announce his decision to join the Commodores. Fields had offers from Iowa State, Baylor and others.
On Tuesday, Fields was back on the practice field with his teammates at Central. With the major college decision taken care of, he’s looking forward to his upcoming senior season.
“It just makes it much easier,” Fields said. “You can just focus on what you need to focus on with the team and just enjoy it.”
The jump to Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee, won’t come without some familiarity. The St. Joseph native will work closely with a former Central Indian in Ghaali Muhammad-Lankford, who also played Division I football as a running back at Wyoming and is currently the run game coordinator at Vanderbilt.
“They play in the SEC. so top of the top. They have great academics, and then the connections obviously helps. They know you’ll be taken care of when you’re that far away, so it’s just a blessing,” Fields said.
Fields finished his junior campaign last season with nearly 1,400 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns. His stellar play on the gridiron makes life easy for his teammates and coaches when a player of that caliber is that productive. However, it’s what Fields is without the ball in his hands that’s made him a sought-after player for college programs. First-year head coach Sheldon Farrell says Fields has done everything he’s asked him to do dating back to when Farrell was on the staff at Central as an assistant, and feels his attitude and character helps him stand apart.
“He’s always been a leader; he’ll be a three-time captain,” Farrell said. “It’s not a fluke. He’s one of the best backs, I think, to ever come out of St. Joe and I think he’s only getting started.”
