Devin Brown currently Buckeyes backup quarterback but competition for QB2 remains open

For the second straight offseason, Devin Brown has ended up on the wrong side of an Ohio State quarterback competition. The redshirt sophomore couldn’t beat out Kansas State graduate transfer Will Howard, who arrived in Columbus back in January with 27 career starts and a Big 12 title under his belt.

Brown has improved this offseason, notably flashing a great deep ball in training camp, and certainly held his own in the competition with Howard, however, he would have needed a herculean effort to surpass the more experienced Howard.

That said, Brown is the Buckeyes’ backup quarterback at the moment.

But head coach Ryan Day is keeping the competition open for that role, and Day confirmed that true freshman Julian Sayin is certainly in the running for that spot.

“Devin has shown the ability to do just about everything we ask him to do,” Day said. “It’s the consistency part and taking care of the football part that he’s just got to make sure that he does a great job of moving forward, and if he can do that, then he can play and be a contributor.”

“A big part of being a quarterback is resilience and continuing to work the minute you face a little bit of an obstacle or resistance along the way,” Day added, referencing the 2014 Buckeyes national championship team that needed three quarterbacks — Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones — before it reached the finish line.

Brown was the Buckeyes’ third-string quarterback in 2022, behind Kyle McCord and, of course, C.J. Stroud. He didn’t attempt a pass, however, he did get in for 15 offensive snaps (nine against Toledo and six against Rutgers).

Brown competed with McCord last offseason, and before that in Peach Bowl prep, for the starting job under center. He experienced a setback that April when he suffered a finger injury that required surgery, costing him the final week of practice and the spring game. Both McCord and Brown took turns leading the race in training camp, except, McCord got the nod for Week 1 and then was named the full-time starter ahead of Week 3.

As mentioned above, the Buckeyes carved out a red zone package for Brown midseason, and he scored his first career rushing touchdown at Purdue (he would have had another had he not fumbled). Later that day in mop-up duty, he threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Inniss. The following week, Ohio State inserted Brown in the red zone against Penn State, but he sprained his right ankle while trying to reach the goal line.

Brown was sidelined down the stretch of the regular season, and, while he eventually got off the availability report, he didn’t play another snap until the Cotton Bowl.

He made his first career start in the New Year’s Six bowl game, and fittingly so. Sammy Baugh started in the first-ever Cotton Bowl, and Brown wears No. 33 as an homage to Baugh. Unfortunately for Brown, another sprain, this time to his left ankle, sidelined him in the first half. Ohio State ended up losing, 14-3, to Missouri, but Brown has been steadfast in his comeback journey with the Buckeyes.

That roller coaster journey will continue this season, with Brown again having to wait in the wings.