First-year Ohio State head coach Ryan Day traveled to Chicago for Big Ten Media Days, and he dropped somewhat of a surprise on the media.

Day announced that former Georgia QB Justin Fields had not done enough to win the starting job yet, and that he will compete with former Kentucky QB Gunnar Hoak during fall camp. Hoak transferred to OSU this offseason after graduating and competing with Terry Wilson during spring practice.

“Justin and Gunnar are going to compete like heck to win the job, but at the end of the day, it’s going to come down to who can play the game,” Day said Thursday at Big Ten Media Days.

Most thought Fields would start immediately, especially after signal callers Tate Martell (Miami) and Matthew Baldwin (TCU) transferred. Martell left before Fields got there, and Baldwin left after competing with Fields during spring practice.

Nonetheless, Fields has to be the frontrunner, but Hoak will get his fair chance. Day reiterated at media days that just because a prospect is highly touted and has talent (Fields), he has to earn the job.

“One of our core philosophies is that you don’t just get given a starting position. You earn everything you get around here, and he hasn’t done that,” Day said. “I know everybody wants to get way ahead of themselves and start talking about Heisman, but how about winning the starting quarterback job first? Because you can’t win the job when you’re still learning the offense. He learned the offense in the spring. He’s got a step ahead of Gunnar because Gunnar just got here and he didn’t even go through the spring.”

It would be surprising if Hoak beat out Fields, especially since the former UGA QB has a head start having gone through spring practice, but Day is certainly going to make Fields earn it.