Kyle McCord's decision to leave Ohio State football and enter the transfer portal caught the college football world by surprise. So why did McCord decide to transfer?

Despite being the expected starting QB for Ohio State, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day was reportedly unable to fully commit to McCord being QB1 next season, Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch reports. Again, Rabinowitz revealed that sources said Ohio State wanted McCord to return and he would have been the “front-runner” to start.

Nevertheless, the lack of uncertainty led to the QB making the decision. There may have been another factor as well, however.

Rabinowitz revealed that Kyle McCord was dealing with NIL concerns at Ohio State. These factors ultimately contributed to McCord leaving the program.

Ohio State football, Kyle McCord moving on

The Buckeyes are looking to rebuild their program into a top-tier contender. Ohio State has still competed at a high level over the past few years. This is a program that expects to win national championships, not be a fringe College Football Playoff contender.

The Buckeyes are going to do everything they can to bring in top recruits while utilizing the college football transfer portal.

McCord, meanwhile, has been linked to a number of different schools since transferring from Ohio State football. Syracuse has emerged as an option for the quarterback. At the moment, however, his future is uncertain.

It will be interesting to see how Ohio State and Kyle McCord fare in 2024 after starting over. Perhaps the move will be best for both sides. Still, the Buckeyes will surely miss McCord, while the QB may regret leaving a team that is usually in the championship conversation.