Ohio State second-year quarterback Devin Brown (33) works on handoffs during Ohio State’s first open practice on Tuesday. Credit: Zachary Riley | Photo Editor
With March comes several things — including spring break, daylight savings and spring practice.
Ohio State began its first of 15 spring practices Tuesday leading to the spring game April 15, and the Buckeyes quarterback competition is well underway. Second-year Kyle McCord and first-year Devin Brown led the position group through drills — such as handoffs and throws to running backs and receivers, all part of what head coach Ryan Day said is “building the foundation” to fundamental quarterback play.
Day said he hopes to have “some vision” as to Ohio State’s next starting quarterback between Brown and McCord by the end of spring practices. Ohio State’s fifth-year head coach, who’s embarking on the third competition for the Buckeyes’ starting signal-caller position in his tenure, said he heard vocal direction and guidance that he’s looking for in a quarterback.
“Being that leader is critically important,” Day said. “I feel like we’re going to have a great supporting cast, so the quarterback doesn’t need to be superhuman. He just needs to do his job, make routine plays routinely, and then it’ll build from there.”
After the first day of drill work in spring practice, McCord, who has 12 games including a start and 606 passing yards under his belt, said Tuesday was “a really good day” and a “step in the right direction” toward Ohio State shifting focus to a new season and new circumstances.
McCord said he’s studied NFL quarterbacks — such as Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes — and taken attributes and notes from coaches he’s been around. He’s done similarly behind former quarterback C.J. Stroud, who declared for the NFL Draft in January, through watching the previous starter navigate life as Ohio State’s signal-caller.
McCord has been around quarterback competition before, doing so alongside Stroud prior to the 2021 season in which the latter ultimately earned the spot. But it’s something McCord draws from this time around.
“I think now when I came in, the first one, you have no experience,” McCord said. “Now going into year three, which is crazy to think about, you have a lot more experience, a lot more reps, whether that’s in practice or the game, and you kind of understand what the coaches are looking for. So, I think just that experience speaks volumes.”
Although McCord has one more season of experience over Brown, both have already gotten quality repetitions under the brightest of lights on the highest of stages.
When Stroud traveled to New York City for his second Heisman Trophy ceremony as a finalist in as many seasons, Brown and McCord were left to lead the Buckeyes into Peach Bowl practice ahead of the College Football Playoff matchup against eventual champion Georgia.
Brown said he and McCord “got a lot of reps with the 1’s” during the week of the Heisman ceremony, which is something he, like McCord, looks back on and takes knowledge from that experience to apply to today.
“It was huge,” Brown said. “It was just me and Kyle getting a ton of reps and being able to vocalize myself as a leader even as a young guy, guys were kind of coming around me, and it was good to be able to voice myself.”
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has seen plenty of Brown and McCord in practice, too.
Throwing passes and stepping up against the Buckeyes’ defense, Brown and McCord have displayed their athleticism in front of Knowles, who said he’s “looking forward to seeing how it goes” this spring during the quarterback battle between two passers who are “both very talented.”
“Devin can run around. Kyle manages the game really well,” Knowles said. “They both have their strengths, and in terms of reading defenses, I know this is going to be a big spring for them”
Amid the ongoing quarterback battle, Brown and McCord both said they’re not letting it get between their connection as teammates and their friendship.
Brown said competing with someone he’s spent a year around as a backup quarterback “really boosts my confidence and boosts my drive” in practice this spring, and McCord said “it’s a very beneficial relationship on both sides” and feels they have improved each other over time.
“Me and Devin are really close. We’re really close. And I think we both know what it is. But I think that’s the beauty of it,” McCord said. “But at the end of the day, it’s just a really good competition, and I think it’s bringing the best out of me in the best of him as well.”
