As the football season draws closer, the Ohio State Buckeyes are gearing up for another exciting year. One of the most closely watched battles on the team is the competition for the starting quarterback position. Kyle McCord and Devin Brown are two young quarterbacks with plenty of potential, and both are fighting for the chance to lead the Buckeyes onto the field in the upcoming season.
Both McCord and Brown come to Ohio State with impressive high school resumes. McCord, a 6-foot-3-inch, 215-pound Pennsylvania native, was a consensus 4-star recruit and ranked as the No. 4 pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2021. Brown, who hails from Utah, is a 6-foot, 190-pound pro-style quarterback who was ranked as the No. 6 pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2022.
During spring practice, both quarterbacks have been getting plenty of reps and showing off their skills to coaches and teammates. According to reports, McCord has been impressive with his arm strength and accuracy, showing off his ability to throw deep balls and long touchdowns. Brown, on the other hand, has been praised for his footwork and his ability to extend plays.
It’s clear that both quarterbacks are talented, but head coach Ryan Day has a tough decision to make. Does he go with the more experienced McCord, who has been on campus for an extra year, or does he give the nod to the younger Brown, who has been impressing everyone with his skills during practice?
One thing that could factor into the decision is the Buckeyes’ upcoming schedule. Ohio State faces a tough slate of games this season, including matchups against top-ranked teams like Notre Dame, Michigan, and Penn State. If the Buckeyes want to come out on top in those games, they need a quarterback who can handle the pressure and make clutch plays when it matters most. Another factor to consider is the Buckeyes’ offensive line. Ohio State has one of the best offensive lines in college football, but the team did lose tackles Paris Johnson Jr and Dawand Jones, as well as center Luke Wypler, to the NFL this past season. Whoever ends up as the starting quarterback will need to adjust to the new personnel and make sure they are on the same page in order to have a successful season.
In the end, it will be up to Coach Day and his staff to make the call on who will start at quarterback this season. Whoever gets the nod will have big shoes to fill, as the Buckeyes’ previous quarterbacks, Justin Fields and CJ Stroud are now playing in the NFL and reported to go No. 1 overall in this month’s NFL Draft, respectively. However, with the talent Ohio State has at the position and the team’s history of developing successful quarterbacks, fans can rest assured that whoever ends up starting will be up to the challenge.
Featured image via: USA TODAY Sports
