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Transfer season is in full swing and heating up in college football. It looks like Ohio State transfer QB Kyle McCord will not be going to Nebraska for now.
McCord left conference rival Nebraska Cornhuskers’ campus and will be continuing his recruitment search for other schools, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.
Bleacher Report’s Scott Polacek calls McCord, “One of the most prominent players in the transfer portal for multiple reasons.”
Polacek highlights the fact that McCord was good enough to win the starting job at a blue-chip program like Ohio State, something that is not so easy to do.
The former Buckeye was on the Nebraska campus Monday, December 11 for a visit before ultimately deciding against Nebraska. This one might sting Cornhusker fans for a bit.
“It’s a turn of events for Nebraska, which was trending towards being the favorite for the Ohio State transfer over the weekend,” according to Nakos. McCord will now turn to other quarterback needy schools.
Nakos believes those schools could include, “Auburn, Duke, Louisville, Syracuse and Michigan.” That last team might give Buckeye fans knots in their stomachs.
The rival Wolverines currently have J.J. McCarthy and are in the College Football Playoff after beating Ohio State in the final regular season matchup. McCarthy is likely to declare for the NFL draft, so they may look to McCord to replace him.
Kyle McCord Has Dealt With Brunt of Criticism for 2023 Season
McCord was a 5-star recruit when he enrolled in 2021 with Ohio State. He was a backup to Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
He was handed the keys to the program for the 2023 season after beating out Devon Brown. “When the quarterback entered college football’s free agency in the early hours on Monday, Dec. 4, it stunned most of the sport,” according to Nakos.
McCord led the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record, throwing for 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. On the surface those are excellent numbers that many would be happy with, but it did not seem to be enough for Buckeye fans.
McCord faced fan criticism for most of the season. It all came to a head with one loss.
McCord and the Buckeyes lost to rival Michigan, thus preventing them from playing in the Big 10 Championship and missing out on the College Football Playoff. It was the third straight loss to the rival Wolverines.
McCord was 18 for 30 for 271 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions against the rival Wolverines. One of the interceptions was on the final drive, as Ohio State attempted to secure a miraculous comeback.
“It is a testament to just how high the bar is at Ohio State that his season can now be seen as a big-picture disappointment,” Polacek wrote.
Devon Brown Will Get Chance to Shine in Cotton Bowl
With the departure of McCord, the Buckeyes will turn to sophomore Brown in the Cotton Bowl against Missouri. Brown joined the Buckeyes as a 4-star recruit in the 2022 class.
Brown had the chance before the 2023 season to win the starting job but was ultimately beat out by McCord. He now will get a chance to show the country, and Ohio State fans, his talent and that he deserves the starting job.
The Cotton Bowl will be a chance for Brown to get a leg up on securing the 2024 starting job. It will be a try out for head coach Ryan Day and the rest of the coaching staff.
Brown during an interview told media, “I’m pumped. I can’t believe my first start is going to be in the Cotton Bowl. It’s a big stage against a really good team.”
Brown points out that this is a top-10 matchup between the Buckeyes and the SEC Tigers. Missouri finished 9th in the rankings at 10-2 only behind Georgia in the SEC East.
This will be a test for Brown, but if he can excel in the opportunity, he just may jumpstart his own career.
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