McCord changes Stroud as Ohio State starter

• Tom VanHaaren, ESPN Staff WriterAug 29, 2023, 12:29 PM ET

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  • ESPN staff author
  • Signed up with ESPN in 2011
  • Finished from Central Michigan

After a prolonged quarterback fight this offseason, Ohio State coach Ryan Day announced Kyle McCord as the starting quarterback for the very first game of the season versus Indiana.McCord had been in a battle with Devin Brown as the team is seeking to replace last season’s starter, C.J. Stroud, who was the No. 2 selection in the NFL draft. Day had actually not called a starter and stated as just recently as recently that the players were still being evaluated.

“I think that’s significant that we have two guys that we feel great playing in the game,” Day said. “This is something that’s a little unchartered territory for me, however you simply go on what you see every day in practice. I believe that Kyle’s consistency the last couple of weeks has actually permitted him to be the starter.”

Day said McCord deserves to be the starter, however Brown’s play throughout the offseason will offer him the opportunity to see the field also. The greatest challenge, according to Day, will be find a rhythm and flow for each quarterback and will go off of how the preparation for the week goes to identify playing time for both.Day had actually stated the fight had gone back and forth with Brown making a big push as of late, but he saw McCord step up and continue to play regularly in practice. Now, despite being named the starter, McCord needs to reveal Day the exact same consistency during the season.”I believe the very first thing is you just need to go see them play in the game, and it’s something in practice, you see particular things but to get dealt with and to move the team down the field,”Day said.” Round off drives, do well on 3rd down, do well at a loss zone. That’s going to continue to play itself out during the season and there’s been teams that have actually done this comparable before.”Eventually the goal is to win a championship, and Day says how their

story plays out will be composed by each quarterback. With little experience for either signal-caller, Day states they both need each other today and that they’ll continue to ride the roller coaster together throughout the season. “I simply do not have a crystal ball on this and I’m not exactly sure how it is going to shake out,”Day stated.

“But, I believe what we’re doing is fair based upon what we see in this preseason. “Day originally said he wants to see a large gap in play between his quarterbacks, but he explained McCord’s play as sufficient to make the beginning task. He thinks the more games they play this season, the more the coaches will see in regards to strengths, rhythm and chemistry, along with results.However, the position plays out, with McCord hanging on to the beginning job or Brown eventually taking over, Day seems positive in both quarterbacks. He points to the Alabama team with Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts as groups that have browsed this scenario prior to and thinks his team will figure it out too. “Now, it’s time to go play in games, though, and we certainly have seen enough in practice to think that both guys can perform in a game, “Day stated.” Now it’s time to go put it on the field and when you’re in the game, you actually get a concept of what is going on. In practice, you try to provide controlled setting and you try to make them as game like as possible, but once again, now it’s time to go play.”