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Ohio State

CJ Stroud explains approaching football like basketball

Alex Weberby:Alex Weber•10/20/22
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C.J. Stroud is one of nine Buckeyes ranked inside the Top 10 of Mel Kiper Jr.'s NFL Draft position rankings. (Ben Jackson/Getty Images)

Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud is only a true junior, but the prolific Buckeye quarterback is the clear-cut leader of the team. Right now, he’s the Heisman front-runner after finishing top-five a season ago. And despite not having his three leading receivers from last year yet, Stroud is still putting up gaudy passing numbers and has OSU undefeated and No. 1 in the country in points per game at 48.8.

He’s a heck of a leader, on the field for sure, but also off. That leadership aspect is something he credits to his background in a different sport: basketball. Stroud was a hoops standout as well before focusing on football. And apparently, he played point guard, a position where you have to lead the offense. The same role as the QB on the gridiron. So there were a lot of similarities between the two positions and Stroud thrived in both.

He shared that basketball backstory at a recent press conference.

CJ Stroud on comparison between point guard and quarterback

“I mean, I played basketball a lot growing up. That was my first sport, my first love. And I mean, I always kind of played point guard. So maybe it just came from that leadership aspect. And I definitely think that it pays dividends in how I kind of approach the game, like you said. So I just try to be as best as I can with.”

Stroud then added that one of his coaches uses the comparison between quarterback and point guard all the time, furthering the notion that there’s a leadership quality to both.

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“Well, our assistant quarterback coach, Coach Fitch, always talks about how being a quarterback is like being a point guard. It’s making everybody around you better. So if that’s me, watch the film extra. Or if that’s me staying for extra practice time, whatever the case may be, I’m trying to make everybody around me better. And I definitely think that probably pays dividends in me playing basketball.”

Whether under center or at the top of the key, CJ Stroud is a leader on the offensive side of the field/court. Even with injuries around him, the Buckeye signal caller has kept the offense humming and hasn’t missed a beat in pursuit of the Heisman.