Kyle McCord Named Ohio State's Week 1 Starting Quarterback vs. Indiana

Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day has named Kyle McCord the team's starting quarterback for its Week 1 game against Indiana.

McCord had been in a position battle with Devin Brown this offseason to determine which Buckeye QB would replace C.J. Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in this year's NFL draft. That competition may not be completely over despite Day's announcement during a Tuesday press conference. Day said Brown will also play on Saturday.

"I think Kyle has done a great job over the last two weeks of showing consistency," Day said. "He's played very well in practice. But Devin, also throughout the body of the preseason, has shown that he deserves to play. We have confidence in both of them."

Day did not specify how much Brown may play against the Indiana Hoosiers.

McCord, a junior, is Ohio State's most experienced QB. As a freshman in 2021, he started against Akron when Stroud was sidelined with an injury. The 6-foot-3 signal caller completed 13 of 18 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns in a 59-7 Ohio State win. McCord has gone 41-of-58 passing for 606 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions during his Ohio State career.

Brown, a redshirt freshman, appeared in two Ohio State games last season and did not attempt a pass. Still, Day said that throughout training camp there wasn't much separating McCord and Brown from each other.

"I think that's significant that we have two guys that we feel confident playing in the game," Day said. "This is something that's a little uncharted territory for me, but you just go on what you see every day in practice. I think that Kyle's consistency the last couple of weeks has allowed him to be the starter. He deserves that.

"It's not a sizable gap, but it's enough to be named the starter," Day said.

McCord's High School Chemistry With Marvin Harrison Jr.

McCord and Ohio State's All-American wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. both attended high school at St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia.

They were teammates on three consecutive state title teams. McCord set city and league records for passing yards (6,887) and touchdowns (88), while Harrison set league records with 2,625 receiving yards and 37 touchdowns during his prep career. McCord and Harrison were both five-star recruits, according to 247 Sports, and committed to playing for the Buckeyes.

"When we first started playing with each other my sophomore year of high school, it's something that we always talked about," McCord said about playing with Harrison in college after the first day of spring practice, according to 247 Sports. "And obviously it's crazy the way everything worked itself out."

Harrison will surely be McCord's favorite target in college, just as he was in high school. Last season as a sophomore, Harrison caught 77 passes for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns on his way to Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year honors.

During spring practice, Harrison said he believed McCord has what it takes to start for Ohio State. "I think, obviously, the arm talent is still there," he said about McCord. "It was always there. Just more so the mental aspect of the game. He spent a lot of time watching film and just kind of anticipating throws. That's probably where he's grown the most."

Harrison went on: "I think he can make every throw, no matter where I'm at on the field. I could be on the opposite side [of the field], he could be on the far hash, he can still get the ball there. Whether I'm in the boundary, he can throw the deep ball, intermediate. His timing is very precise. So that's probably the best thing I like about him."

Ohio State Enters Season With Championship Potential

Ohio State opens the 2023 college football season ranked No. 3 in an Associated Press poll.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Buckeyes are favored by 30 points over the Hoosiers, according to Caesars Sportsbook. Ohio State's next two games will be at home against unranked opponents. The first three weeks of the season all lead up to a Week 4 matchup against No. 13 Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.

Day is hoping his QBs, particularly his starter, can adapt to game settings quickly.

"Now it's time to go play in games, though, and we certainly have seen enough in practice to believe that both guys can perform in a game," he said. "Now it's time to go put it on the field, and when you're in the game, you really get an idea of what is going on. In practice, you try to give controlled settings and you try to make them as game-like as possible. But again, now it's time to go play."