Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord enters transfer portal after Buckeyes miss College Football Playoff
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord has entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal, announcing his decision on social media on Monday.
“I am extremely grateful for my time at Ohio State.
McCord wrote. “It was truly an honor to play in the Scarlet and Grey.”
“I’m thankful for all the lifelong relationships I’ve made here in Columbus. My teammates, my brothers, I’m thankful for each one of you. Ohio State…
McCord thanked the Buckeyes‘ coaching staff and fan base before confirming he would not return for the 2024 season.
“With that being said, I have decided to enter the transfer portal to explore other opportunities.”
McCord, a junior, beat out Devin Brown for the starting QB role in the preseason and started all 12 games this year – going 11-1 – after spending his first two years as a backup.
The Buckeyes lost to the Big Ten Conference rival Michigan Wolverines 30–24 in the regular season finale on November 25, denying Ohio State a berth in the College Football Playoff. Ohio State…
During McCord’s freshman and sophomore years, he backed up CJ Stroud, who was selected by the Houston Texans with the 2nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
McCord threw for 3,170 yards and 24 touchdowns with six interceptions, per Ohio State, this past season.
Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day, who recruited McCord, now faces a dilemma heading into next season. McCord and Brown were both four-star recruits, as was incoming freshman Air Noland, per 247Sports.
Ohio State will take on the Missouri Tigers in the Cotton Bowl Classic on December 29th. Day previewed the upcoming game in a news conference at McCord on Sunday.
Kyle got better as the season went on,” Day said Sunday. “There was a little bit of those ankle injuries that he worked through. He showed toughness there.
In the Notre Dame game, he played great. So I think there’s been growth, for sure, and I think he’s a good quarterback, I do.
“After every year, you review everything and try to figure out what to do next, but I think there’s been a lot of progress this year.”
Day also declined to name a starter for the bowl game, casting further doubt on McCord’s long-term prospects with the Buckeyes ahead of his decision Monday.
“At 11-1, you come up short in the last possession, that’s not good enough. So you have to look at everything, and we’ll look at everything,” he said.
While McCord hasn’t had the same impact at quarterback as Stroud or current Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields, he’s still expected to have plenty of suits in the college game.