Sophomore quarterback Devin Brown, 33, hits fourth-year running back Chip Trayanum during No. 3 Ohio State's 20-12 win over No. 7 Penn State at Ohio Stadium. pretended to be a handoff.
Credit: Caleb Blake | Photo Editor
The departure of starting quarterback Kyle McCord at the end of 2023 sent Ohio State's quarterback room into a frenzy. McCord, who spent three years with the Scarlet and Gray, entered the transfer portal after a high of double-digit wins and a low of three consecutive losses against Michigan.
According to head coach Ryan Day, the battle to fill McCord's 11-2 spot is far from over.
The strength of this position group looks second to none on paper. Despite the disparity in age and experience, this room consistently has an excellent level of talent.
The offseason favorite was fifth-year transfer Will Howard, who led Kansas State to the Big 12 title in 2022. With 24 touchdowns through the air and nine touchdowns on the ground in his four years as a Wildcat, Howard's accomplishments cemented him. In Day's eyes, he had a strong dual-threat candidate.
“His combination on the field is being able to use his feet to extend plays, run in the run game and pull the ball, and we've seen that happen before. But he was able to throw the ball accurately in the pocket and take action on the move.'' All of that puts stress on the defense,'' Day said in a press conference Wednesday. “We're trying to put him in the most difficult situations possible: third down, third and long, second and long.”
Despite that praise, Day declined to name Howard as a starter or even a leader in the quarterback battle, making it clear that the competition continues. However, he noted that in-game experience will make a difference in early-season selections.
Freshman Julian Sain, a transfer from Alabama, is “trying hard,” but faces a major hurdle in terms of not getting enough snaps. However, Day did not go so far as to eliminate Thane from the competition.
“He's in it too. He is,” Day said.
Sane's talent already speaks for itself. Upon arrival in Columbus, a black stripe will be placed on the helmets of freshmen and transfer players. Stripes are removed if the player or coach feels the new player has proven his commitment to the program. Sane's stripes were removed after just nine practices. He is the fastest freshman quarterback to earn the honor since former head coach Urban Meyer instituted the tradition in 2012.
“When you have a black stripe, it often means [decision]. They see it: [a] Guys do plays and show up for long periods of time,” Day said. “You could tell in nine practices that he was making a lot of throws in big spots, even on the opposing team.” [first-string players]. So the play itself gets repetitive, but usually when you take off the black stripes, it's because you've earned the respect of the team. I think he did it. ”
However, Day is unsure which of the two transfers will be their player. And returning Buckeye junior Devin Brown is no stranger to quarterback competition, having spent eight months battling McCord before the start of last year's season. Howard has the experience and Thayne may have the skill, but Brown's familiarity with the Buckeye system will definitely help his chances.
“He’s in his third year now and starting to do a lot of the things that we’re doing.” [are] What we did in the past still remains. He's probably the most comfortable running the offense and you'll see that. The important thing for him is to be as consistent as possible and keep the offense moving. Because he definitely has the ability and he definitely flashes,” Day said.
The competition continues even after Day names him the starter. Unlike past years, the 2024 Buckeyes are not envisioned to be a one-quarterback team.
“I think we're entering a different and unique era right now. “I think when guys look at the depth chart, it doesn't matter as much as it used to,'' Day said. We have some quarterbacks this year, but we're going to need depth. I'm sure that room is fine. ”
Day suggested this team's strength lies in its versatility, with experience and composure having high upside alongside fresh legs.
“We're going to do whatever we can to win the game. At the end of the day, that's what it comes down to,” Day said. “But we also know what our goals are at the end of the season and what we can do to put ourselves in a position to achieve them at the end of the season, and we know that there are two people who will help us achieve our goals. It's important to have three quarterbacks.'' That's going to be No. 1. How do we do that? You need to understand that. I don't think we're there yet. ”
