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Greg McElroy ‘feels pretty good’ about Kyle McCord stepping in as Ohio State’s quarterback

IMG_6598by:Nick Kosko•06/07/23•

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(Photo by Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

ESPN’s Greg McElroy “feels pretty good” about Kyle McCord stepping in as the Ohio State starting quarterback, but there’s a catch.

Well, it’s not a catch per se, but rather there are questions about McCord. He’s not a proven starter yet, which is why McElroy left him outside his top five quarterbacks in the Big Ten.

But, McElroy isn’t worried about McCord’s performance this year based on what Ryan Day accomplished over the last few years with signal callers. Not to mention the run of Ohio State quarterbacks lately.

“Do I think it’s going to be Kyle McCord? Yeah, I do,” McElroy said on Always College Football. “But I don’t know that with any legitimate certainty. I have a hunch, just like all of you, and feel pretty good about him stepping into the situation. I love his supporting cast. I love the offense. And I think back to what, 2010, might have been the last time Ohio State had a liability at quarterback and that was Terrelle Pryor, who was maybe the best athlete on the field … 

“Most of the time, Ohio State has had a guy at quarterback from Braxton Miller to JT Barrett to Cardale Jones for a moment, back to JT Barrett. You think about the competition that was had there between Dwayne Haskins and Joe Burrow, Dwayne Haskins went on to become a first round pick, Joe Burrow transfers to LSU because he loses the job. He becomes the first overall pick and you have Justin Fields step right in. Then you have CJ Stroud the last couple of years.”

Kyle McCord set as Ohio State’s starting QB?

Over the course of two seasons, in relief appearances, McCord threw for 606 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions and a 70.7% completion percentage.

Based on Day’s track record, McCord could flourish in his offense.

“When was the last time quarterback was an issue for Ohio State,” McElroy said. “It won’t be this year either. I just can’t right now, in good faith, put Kyle McCord in the top five because he has not established himself as the starter.”

As a member of the Class of 2021, McCord was a five-star recruit out of Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joseph’s, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 2 overall prospect in the state, the No. 5 quarterback in the class and the No. 25 quarterback in the class.