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Ohio State still can't name a starting quarterback, ESPN says

Barkley-Truaxby:Barkley Truax•05/08/23•

BarkleyTruax

with-devin-brown-sidelined-kyle-mccord-has-a-chance-to-make-a-statement-in-ohio-states-quarterback-battle-during-saturdays-spring-game
Ohio State quarterbacks Kyle McCord (left) and Devin Brown (right) communicate during a spring practice in March. (Matt Parker/Lettermen Row)

Ryan Day is still unsure who his starting quarterback will be when Ohio State takes the field for its season-opener this fall.

Buckeye quarterbacks Kyle McCord and Devin Brown are about as even as you can get following the 2023 spring slate. Still, Brown missed the team’s spring game after undergoing minor surgery on a finger on his throwing hand while McCord took the majority of first-team snaps during the showcase.

McCord used the opportunity to complete 18-of-34 passes for 184 yards and one touchdown. Even more, McCord is entering his third season in Day’s offense and to that regard, his experience trumps Browns. Day told ESPN this spring that McCord is beginning to “understand how defenses are trying to attack them.” He also raved about how McCord has changed his body during the offseason and has improved arm strength from last year.

He hasn’t locked up QB1 status just yet, though. But McCord the leader of the offensive locker room and the MVP of Ohio State’s spring slate.

Still, Brown is a former five-star recruit out of the 2022 class and Day sees tremendous upside with the sophomore blue-chipper.

“I’ve been very impressed with the amount of information he’s been able to process in a short period of time,” Day said about Brown’s progression. “Very good athlete, can move and change direction very well.”

There’s a reason Day hasn’t named McCord the official starter, and it’s because Brown has made it difficult to rule him as the clear backup. He’s an athletic option, but hasn’t been able to show off his arm talent the way that McCord was able to during last month’s spring showcase. Even with an injury keeping him out of action, Day like what he has with his top two options under center.

Expect Ohio State to take its time naming the official starter. Two years ago, Day and his coaching staff waiting until late August to officially name then-redshirt freshman CJ Stroud as the starter for the 2021 season. The same thing happened with Justin Fields in 2019.

Day has an entire summer and fall camp to make his ultimate decision. But if one thing is for sure, Brown is making it tough for them to name McCord the starter. It’s going to be a long summer, grueling summer as the two vye for one of the top quarterback jobs in all of college football.