Fran Brown on Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord: 'I've seen a winner'

In the early hours of the first day of college football’s transfer portal window, On3’s Pete Nakos reported Kyle McCord entered. He led Ohio State’s offense in 2023, fueled by a connection with Marvin Harrison Jr. that went back to high school, and helped the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record.

As McCord went through the transfer process, he found his way to Syracuse. Suddenly, Fran Brown had his quarterback as he looked to build the Orange back up, and McCord got a fresh start after an up-and-down season in Columbus.

So far, he’s impressing as training camp gets underway. Brown spoke highly of what McCord brings to Syracuse, especially considering his experience on the big stage at Ohio State.

“I’ve seen a winner,” Brown said on SiriusXM College. “That was the first thing, I said, okay, this guy can win. Played at a high level, played in one of the blue bloods of college football. And I’ve seen the work ethic now.

“I see a guy that, man, has a chip on his shoulder. I see a guy that wants to go show you who he is by proving himself right.”

McCord finished the 2023 season with 3,170 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, along with six interceptions. He entered the season facing questions about whether he or Devin Brown would win the starting job, but ultimately helped Ohio State average nearly 408 yards of offense.

Regarding the chip he said was on McCord’s shoulder, Brown said it’s a mentality he wants to instill at Syracuse. He wants his players to keep striving to get better and avoid settling.

“That’s just who I am,” Brown said. “We’re around each other all the time. There’s no complacency. I think complacency is the cousin of death. You become complacent, it’s a wrap. So we’re always trying to evolve. We’re always trying to evolve, always trying to get better.

“I’m gonna be a blue-collar guy the rest of my life, and they know that, understand that. We’re all, every day, it’s what can we do this week? We’re not really focusing on the season all that.”

As for his time in Columbus, Kyle McCord looked back with gratitude. He learned under CJ Stroud – the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year – and his starting experience will help him as he adjusts to life in the ACC.

“Truly grateful for my three years at Ohio State,” McCord said at ACC Media Days. “I got to sit behind CJ (Stroud) for two years, learned a lot from him. Then I had the opportunity to start there last year.

“I think just the biggest thing I’ve been focusing on is the biggest thing is winning and the product that you put on the field. That’s kind of the message to the team. No matter what happens at the end of the day? Like, when we go out on the field, we’re going to have to compete. We’re going to have to win. We’re going to have to be tough.”