Ryan Day offers first comments on transfer of Kyle McCord

On the first day of the transfer portal window, Kyle McCord shocked many when he decided to leave Ohio State. The Buckeyes’ starter this year, he helped the offense rank second in the Big Ten in passing, but he will now take his talents to Syracuse.

On National Signing Day earlier this week, Ryan Day addressed McCord’s decision for the first time. While he didn’t want to go into too many details about the conversations he and McCord had, Day said the program wishes McCord well as he embarks on his next step at Syracuse.

“We wish him nothing but the best,” Day said. “He played some good football here and spent three years here and made a lot of relationships here. I think he’s committed to another school now, and he’ll do well there. He will. … But we certainly wish him nothing but the best. There’s a lot of guys in that room that are about him a lot.”

McCord started his college career backing up CJ Stroud, who went on to become a Heisman Trophy finalist and the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. After Stroud left, McCord won Ohio State’s quarterback competition over Devin Brown, and he threw for 3,170 yards and 24 touchdowns in his 12 appearances in 2023.

In the early morning hours on Dec. 4, McCord entered his name into the portal, and he released a statement on his decision later that day.

“I’m extremely thankful for my time at Ohio State,” McCord said. “Playing in the scarlet and gray was truly an honor. I’m grateful for all of the life long relationships I’ve made along the way here in Columbus. My teammates, my brothers, I’m appreciative for each and every one of you.

“Thank you to Coach Day, Coach Dennis, Coach Fitch and the rest of the staff and support team. Buckeye Nation, your passion is what makes playing in Columbus special. With that being said, I’ve decided to enter the transfer portal to explore other opportunities.

Upon his decision to enter the portal, Kyle McCord came in as the No. 24 overall player and the No. 8-ranked quarterback transfer so far this cycle, according to the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings.

McCord’s transfer process was an interesting one. Early on, it looked like he was going to commit to Nebraska after a visit to Lincoln. However, he had a change of heart, as On3’s Pete Nakos reported, and he decided to commit to Syracuse under new coach Fran Brown.