chris fields iii

In the crazy world known as college sports, where thousands are entering the transfer portal chasing NIL deals guided by agents, imagine what it’s like for high school athletes preparing one day to join the chaos that shows no signs of ending any time soon.

“Times have definitely changed,” said junior quarterback Chris Fields III of Carson. “It’s time not to get discouraged. It’s a time to lock in, learn as much as I can and try to acclimate as fast as possible because if you don’t get with the times, you’re going to get lost. There’s too much money out there, too many opportunities to not take advantage fully.”

Fields was recently chosen the City Section offensive player of the year after leading Carson to the Open Division championship. He’s 6 feet 1, has a 4.0 grade-point average and is coming off a season in which he passed for 2,031 yards and 29 touchdowns and ran for 958 yards and 13 touchdowns.

He’s smartly joining Carson’s highly successful track and field team this spring to continue trying to gain speed. One good time that shows how fast he is will immediately get college recruiters taking notice.

It’s an interesting point in the year for quarterbacks. Fields competed in a weightlifting competition last weekend. He’s working out with a private quarterback coach. He’s lining up summer camp appearances. Yet his main focus is continuing to show his athletic skills that can separate him from others.

Asked what he’s trying to improve on, he said, “Everywhere, but more specifically in the passing game. I can make leaps and bounds sitting in the pocket, taking more time, trusting my reads, trusting my O-line, being more comfortable back there. Sometimes I felt a little rush and took off when I didn’t have to. I don’t want to be the guy who takes off for no reason.”

Quarterback Chris Fields III of Carson High passed for two touchdowns and ran for three touchdowns in a state playoff loss to Delano Kennedy.

(Craig Weston)

No one can play quarterback without having the ability to make split-second decisions. It’s the biggest challenge playing the position, and those who do it well are much in demand because they avoid mistakes and use their instincts to make something out of nothing.

“I’ve been doing this my whole life,” Fields said. “I’m kind of used to it. It took me a while to grasp how fast I have to make decisions. If you do not make a decision within two seconds, you can get your head knocked off. It’s imperative to be a fast decision-maker.”

When Carson won its 12th City title on Nov. 29, the Colts did it in dominating fashion. The Colts won their three playoff games 27-2, 40-7 and 36-0.

“It’s a true blessing,” Fields said. “This is testament to our hard work. A lot of things were unseen. We had a lot more social media presence. We practiced harder. We lifted harder. And we executed a lot better. Our playbook was deep this year. The energy was different. Guys clicked a lot better. We understood what we had to do better.”

The preparation has already begun for 2026, particularly in the weight room, where games can be lost or won in the offseason. Carson was really no match in the state playoffs along the line in a 35-33 loss to Delano Kennedy. It was all about brute strength.

Fields is a true team leader. It makes perfect sense why linemen would do anything to protect him. He always gives credit to others. He’s an inspiration and he’ll be leading the offseason charge.

“When I wake up in the morning, I know it’s not me. I know it’s God,” he said. “I carry that mindset everywhere. It has to be the higher power and the people he surrounds me with. It’s a team game. It’s not only me out there. There’s guys blocking for me, there’s the guys catching balls for me, guys have to slow other people down so we have a chance to win. It’s never only me. “

What a player for Carson to build around for 2026.