Between C.J. Stroud and Justin Fields, the quarterback position for Ohio State football has been in good hands for the last four seasons. But Stroud and Fields now play on Sundays, and with the 2023 college football season right around the corner, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day has yet to announce a new starting quarterback. The Ohio State quarterback competition is a two-horse race between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown.

The good news for Ohio State football fans is Ryan Day has found success with first-year quarterbacks in the past. In Fields' first year, the Buckeyes went 13-1. In Stroud's first year, they went 11-2. The goal is obviously to win championships at Ohio State, but it's impossible to guarantee that with one of these unproven guys. What is certain, however, is that Day will have this team in a position to compete on the biggest stage.

Here's the case for each and a prediction for who will be the next quarterback for Ohio State football.

 

Kyle McCord

In the class of 2021, Kyle McCord was the No. 6 quarterback in the 247Sports Composite. McCord has ideal size at 6-3, 215 lbs. He's a pocket quarterback with a strong arm and good traits. His accuracy and feel for the game is what makes him a strong candidate for the job. He can extend plays and throw on the run, but he's not the most mobile quarterback. To become an elite Power 5 quarterback, he will need to improve his ability to buy time with his legs when the pocket breaks down, but McCord has very strong fundamentals and should make limited mistakes.

This is McCord's third year at Ohio State. He has appeared in 12 games and thrown 58 passes, completing 70% of them. It's a small sample size, but the accuracy is what can be expected of him.

 

Devin Brown

Devin Brown was the No. 6 quarterback recruit the year after McCord. He's longer and thinner than McCord at close to 6-3, 195 lbs. As a prospect, Brown has more traits that can't be taught. He's a raw athlete with a very strong arm, and he has the ability to throw from a variety of angles.

Brown is more mobile than McCord and probably has a slightly higher upside. However, he's less polished and might have a longer road to becoming an elite college quarterback than McCord does, due to room for improvement in decision making and less experience on the field.

 

Prediction

Brown has yet to throw a pass in the Ohio State uniform. That is likely to change in Week 1; the most likely scenario is both quarterbacks get significant reps against Indiana next Saturday. This winner of this quarterback competition might simply be whoever plays better in the team's first actual game situation.

Due to the level of experience, McCord is probably more game-ready than Brown is. That, paired with his high football IQ and feel for the game will make him a safer, more plug-and-play option to start for the Buckeyes right now.

Ryan Day will likely go with McCord, who is less dynamic, but also less likely to make mistakes that lose games. With a roster as talented as Ohio State's, that's sometimes all a quarterback needs to be. Expect to see both McCord and Brown in Week 1 and then a lot more of McCord going forward.