Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord bids farewell after Buckeyes miss out on College Football Playoffs 🏈
"I am extremely grateful for my time at Ohio State," penned McCord. "It's truly an honor to suit up in Scarlet and Gray."
"I'm thankful for all the lifelong relationships I've built in Columbus. My teammates, my brothers, I appreciate each and every one of you."
McCord expressed his gratitude towards the coaching staff and the Buckeye faithful before confirming he wouldn't return for the 2024 season.
"Yet, I've decided to enter the transfer portal to explore other opportunities."
In 12 starts this year, the junior McCord led the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record, replacing Devin Brown as the starter last season and serving as backup in his first two seasons.
The Buckeyes fell short in the Big-Ten championship game on November 25, losing 30-24 to rival Michigan Wolverines, and were denied their spot in the College Football Playoffs.
During McCord's first and second years, he backed up CJ Stroud, who was selected as the second overall pick by the Houston Texans in the 2023 NFL Draft. McCord ended the 2023 season with 3,170 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and six interceptions [1][4].
As Ohio State's head coach, Ryan Day is now facing a dilemma heading into the 2024 season. According to 247Sports, McCord, and Brown are both four-star recruits, along with newcomer Al Nolan [2].
Ohio State will face the Missouri Tigers in the Cotton Bowl Classic on December 29. Day discussed McCord's future during a Sunday press conference previewing the upcoming game.
"Kyle improved throughout the season," Day said on Sunday. "He faced some knee injuries; he showed resilience. And in the Notre Dame game, he had a great performance. I believe he's definitely developed, and I believe he's a good quarterback," Day added.
"Each year, you evaluate everything and try to figure out what's next, but I think there were significant strides made this year."
Despite ruling out naming a starter for the bowl game, Day's hesitation may have fueled doubt about McCord's long-term future with the Buckeyes.
"With a 11-1 record at the end, you don't finish well and that's not good enough. So we'll look at everything, and we will," he said.
Though McCord may not wield the same influence as CJ Stroud or Chicago Bears' quarterback Justin Fields, he is still expected to attract interest in the College-level quarterback market.
Relevant Insights:
- After announcing his departure from Ohio State, Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord transferred to Syracuse University. However, he didn't consider other transfer options aside from Syracuse, as he chose to join the Orange team after being informed that Ohio State would be shifting their direction at the quarterback position following the 2023 season [1][4].
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Notes: -(1) 247Sports -(2) CNN Sports -(3) Sporting News -(4) Yahoo Sports.
