Report: Ohio State 'expects' to play both Kyle McCord, Devin Brown vs. Indiana

As Ohio State continues to go through its quarterback competition, all eyes are on the season opener against Indiana on Sept. 2. Kyle McCord and Devin Brown have been battling it out to become the Buckeyes’ starter all offseason, and indications are the competition could run into the season.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, both players could see action in the first game of the year.

On College Football Live on Friday, Thamel said he spoke with Ryan Day and he said the expectation as of Friday morning was to play both McCord and Brown against Indiana. However, Thamel noted Ohio State has another scrimmage on Saturday and that could play a role in the final decision.

“I actually talked to Ryan Day this morning and this will be a battle right through the Indiana game,” Thamel told host Kelsey Riggs. “He said as of right now, he expects to play both quarterbacks in that game. There’s a big scrimmage for Ohio State on Saturday. That could maybe determine who does become the starter, eventually. Interesting battle. Kyle McCord, a little more veteran, a little more polished. He’s kind of a more drop-back guy. Devin Brown’s got a little more wiggle to him and a little more of a dual-threat.

“What they want is to find a quarterback because they have to build an identity. They go to Notre Dame Sept. 23. By then, they certainly want to have that battle set.”

More on the quarterback competition between Kyle McCord, Devin Brown at Ohio State

McCord has the most experience of the two, throwing for 606 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games over the last two years. Brown played in just two games last year.

Through camp, though, neither Ohio State QB has been able to separate himself during the competition. But Day made it clear whichever quarterback deserves to play, will play.

Either way, Day and the staff remain confident in either option.

“We’ve talked about this before, you don’t know until you get into the game, what exactly you have,” Day said. “Practice is good. Practice gives us a snapshot of what you’re going to see in a game. But once you start getting tackled and you’re in the situations and you’re live, that’s a whole other thing. So we’ll just keep trying to figure it out, one day at a time.

“But I’ve been in situations — not very many — where you don’t have a quarterback and that’s not a good feeling. We’re going to have a quarterback. We may have two. And if they deserve to play, they’re going to play.”