Ohio State redshirt freshman quarterbacks C.J. Stroud (7) and Jack Miller III (9) and freshman Kyle McCord (14) prepare to throw passes during the Ohio State Football spring practice on April 5 to compete for the starting spot. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
In his Ohio State debut against Florida Atlantic, then-sophomore quarterback Justin Fields threw the 40th pass of his career on a 5-yard completion to then-sophomore tight end Jeremy Ruckert to open the game and the 2019 season.
Two seasons and 578 pass attempts later, Fields is preparing for the NFL draft, and the Buckeyes are in need of a new gunslinger. Although the task of replacing the two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year will be difficult, the next Ohio State quarterback will have to take one small step first: throw a pass at the college level.
With a shortened 2020 season, redshirt freshman quarterbacks C.J. Stroud and Jack Miller III saw limited action while playing behind Fields. Although the two signal callers have been with the program for more than a year, early enrollee and five-star recruit Kyle McCord is also in the mix to claim the position once fall rolls around.
Head coach Ryan Day said the clean slate at the position offers great opportunity, but the potential also requires patience.
“I think I get excited about that sometimes when I’m by myself in my office, but when I’m on the field and they’re going through growing pains, I’m not that excited about it because there’s a lot that comes with that,” Day said. “You just have to take a deep breath because most of the time, they’re making mistakes for the first time and as much as I just want to jump down their throat, they’ve done it for the first time.”
While McCord was finishing his senior year of high school at St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia, Stroud and Miller were practicing and occasionally finding the field for the Buckeyes.
Miller did not have to wait long to make an impact and find the end zone in 2020, as he crossed over the goal line on a quarterback keeper in Ohio State’s opening game against Nebraska.
Stroud waited a bit longer, but his moment came in the form of an electrifying 48-yard touchdown run against Michigan State in early December.
Despite the limited experience for Stroud and Miller, Day said the first-team reps have rotated between the three underclassmen.
“There’s going to be growing pains along the way and you just have to be willing to work through those,” Day said. “These guys are gonna kinda jump two feet in the pool, and they just gotta go and learn how to swim quickly.”
In Day’s time at Ohio State, he has coached quarterbacks J.T. Barrett, Dwayne Haskins Jr. and Fields.
Searching for the next offensive leader, Day said the position requires a player to do more than just throw a football.
“You get around guys, you start to get a feel for how much it matters to them, and I think in the end, that’s the thing that I’ve found with quarterbacks, if they have enough talent, if they care enough and if they want it bad enough, usually it will work out for them, and that’s something we keep an eye on,” Day said.
From outside the room, running backs coach Tony Alford said the three quarterbacks have shown tremendous talent with their arms.
Alford said the competition has not worked against any of the quarterbacks’ development due to the culture and leadership in the room.
“They seem really good together, they help one another out,” Alford said. “I think it’s a great room, and all those guys have some innate leadership qualities and they continue to get better like the rest of our football team.”
Although a large amount of responsibility falls on whoever is named starting quarterback, Ohio State’s next signal caller will not be without an array of help.
Including the return of experienced players on the offensive line, the Buckeyes also have an arsenal of explosive playmakers at wide receiver. Day said the veteran wide receivers, including juniors Garrett Wilson and Jameson Williams and senior Chris Olave, will need to help make the transition easier.
“We have a young quarterback, so helping the young quarterback — whoever it is — giving him great pictures, making sure that they’re doing all the little things to make his life easier, to give him confidence — especially early in the season — is going to be critically important,” Day said.
With the quarterbacks receiving the chance to throw in front of a crowd for the first time in their collegiate careers Saturday, Day said the quarterbacks are progressing, but there is no clear hierarchy.
“Guys have had good days, guys have had not so good days, guys have good reps, guys have not so good reps, and that’s what happens when you have young quarterbacks,” Day said. “The minute you think one guy’s taken a step forward, he does something foolish and then somebody else will make a play, and then they’re coming on and then it flips the other way, but that’s expected.”
