Ohio State QB Wouldn’t Transfer ‘Outside Expanded Big Ten Footprint’

Getty Ohio State quarterback Devin Brown wouldn't transfer outside the Big Ten's expanded footprint

Class of 2022 quarterback Devin Brown didn’t win the starting job for Ohio State, losing out to third-year signal-caller Kyle McCord, and a possible transfer by the beginning of the 2024 season is within reason.

FanSided’s John Buhler believes that if Brown were to take to the transfer portal, he likely wouldn’t leave the expanded Big Ten footprint — which includes west-coast schools like Washington, Oregon, and USC, who could all be losing their starters to the NFL after the 2023 season.

“To me, I have a hard time seeing Brown go anywhere outside of the expanded Big Ten or SEC footprint,” Buhler wrote. “To be that close to winning the job at Ohio State probably indicates Brown could, and probably would, be starting at many other schools of note. For now, he must be patient, see what this season unfolds and go from there.”

That would eliminate options Buhler floated like Ole Miss, which already has a deep quarterback room, and Oklahoma, a soon-to-be SEC program with the state of Texas’ No. 1 prospect, Jackson Arnold, likely inheriting the job from Dillon Gabriel.

Purdue a Possible Option For Ohio State QB Devin Brown

Buhler’s criteria for a potential destination for the Ohio State backup quarterback was met with his other option, Purdue, which he relays has a critical recruitment piece in Boilermakers offensive coordinator Graham Harrell; with a Hudson Card caveat thrown in.

“Depending on how long Hudson Card wants to stay in West Lafayette, Purdue looks to be a pretty good landing spot for a promising quarterback like Brown,” Buhler wrote. “Albeit under a different regime, we have seen pro-caliber passers come out of West Lafayette fairly recently, whether that be David Blough or Aidan O’Connell. Card could be next, and Brown could follow. This all hinges on Harrell at coordinator.”

Purdue has returned to relevancy in the past two seasons after having one winning season in the previous nine and could use the momentum poaching a Buckeye would give the historically middling Big Ten program.

Ohio State HC on QB1 Role: We’ll Make Adjustments If Needed

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day didn’t write off making adjustments at the quarterback position if something changes over the week, but on August 29, he did tell reporters that both Brown and McCord took the decision gracefully and with a team-first mindset.

“I asked them their feedback,” Day said (h/t Buckeyes Now). “They said no. ‘Is it fair?’ and they both agreed it was fair to go with both of them together. They both shared that they want to do what’s best for the team, and that’s great.

“We still got a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday practice here, and we’ll keep tabs on how that goes. I assume that they’ll continue to work the way they’ve worked and prepare the way they’ve done that and run the plays that we’re going to run in the game at a high level. If something were to change, then we’ll make an adjustment from there.”