Spring practice is right around the corner for Ohio State football. The Buckeyes will begin practice on March 7 and will conclude their 15 practices with the spring game on April 15.
This is an important offseason for the Buckeyes. They were a field goal away from an appearance in the national championship game and have to replace quarterback C.J. Stroud.
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We will start our pre-spring position preview with the quarterback battle. It remains one of the biggest offseason questions in the country. Who will replace Stroud? What makes Kyle McCord and Devin Brown stand out?
A look at the roster
Ryan Day likes to keep four scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, and he will have that — barring any late transfers — with two returnees and two newcomers.
McCord, in his third year in the program, is the most experienced with 12 games played and one start. Brown will be entering his second year in the program and is hoping to challenge McCord for the starting job after spending his freshman season as the third-stringer.
Tristan Gebbia joins the program after transferring from Oregon State for his final year of eligibility. He’ll provide depth and experience. Incoming freshman Lincoln Kienholz, a four-star prospect who flipped from Washington just before the early signing period, rounds out the scholarship players, but he will not be on campus until the summer.
Along with the four scholarship quarterbacks, Ohio State has two preferred walk-ons returning, Mason Maggs and Chad Ray.
OSU scholarship QBs, 2023
| Name | Year |
|---|---|
Tristen Gebbia | 6 |
Kyle McCord | 3 |
Devin Brown | 2 |
Lincoln Kienholz | 1 |
Projected depth chart
The spring depth chart is pretty easy to decipher right now. We’ll label Brown and McCord as co-starters until one separates from the other. Day and quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis said both QBs will enter the spring on a level playing field, so there’s no reason to believe one is the starter right now.
Ohio State’s hope is that it can find its starting quarterback by the end of the spring. McCord is probably the favorite, but we’ll let the competition play out.
We will slot Gebbia in at No. 3. He will be a key part of the group due to his experience.
They said it
“We’ve done it in the past with Chris Chugunov, Gunnar Hoak. They’ve seen a lot of college football, vs. guys who haven’t seen it. They help the process, and they are just good to have in the room. I love to have them.” — Dennis on adding a veteran like Gebbia
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“I think what we do in the offseason program with (strength) coach Mick Marotti, he gives them all an opportunity to be a leader and be around the guys. Right now, at this point, it’s how can you be vocal? How can you be felt? How when you walk into a room people know, ‘Hey man, you just walked into a room?’ The great ones we’ve had here, you knew when Justin Fields walked into a room. You know when J.T. (Barrett) walked into a room. You know when C.J. (Stroud) walked into a room. Letting them feel you is good.” — Dennis on what he wants to see from McCord and Brown in the spring
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What needs to happen this spring?
The spring goals are simple for at quarterback: find Stroud’s replacement.
Ohio State is confident it has that guy on its roster. McCord and Brown will go through a battle to prove they are deserving of the job.
One of the major things Day and Dennis will be looking for is a leader on and off the field. On the field, though, they’ll also be looking for an efficient quarterback. Day has had two terrific quarterbacks in his four years as head coach in Justin Fields and Stroud. Last year, Stroud ranked No. 1 in the nation in passer rating.
McCord, in two years, has played in 12 games and completed 70 percent of his 58 attempts. He was known as an accurate and efficient passer in high school so we’ll see if that can translate consistently to college.
Brown hasn’t attempted a pass in his college career yet, but he showed off some good arm strength and accuracy in the portion of open practice the media watched during the Peach Bowl prep. He threw for 85 touchdowns in his 31-game high school career.
Another thing that will be important: decision-making. Stroud threw 85 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions in his two years as a starter. Fields threw 63 touchdowns and only nine interceptions in his two years as a starter.
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How fast Brown and McCord acclimate not only to the offense but the ability to make fast decisions on the field will be a key factor in the competition.
Day is entering a crucial year in his tenure at Ohio State. The Buckeyes have lost to Michigan the last two seasons and haven’t won the Big Ten since 2020. They return the most talented group of wide receivers in the nation as well as a solid group of running backs. The missing piece? The quarterback. The winner of the battle could go a long way in determining if Ohio State returns to the College Football Playoff.
(Photo of Kyle McCord: Adam Ruff / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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