Day Still Waiting To Make Decision On Starting Quarterback

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day provided an update on the quarterback competition between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown Monday morning at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, stating that he is yet to determine who will start for the Buckeyes under center for their Week 1 opener against Indiana.  

“We are not ready to name a starter right now,” Day said on Monday. “So the competition will continue this week.” 

“I can give you a list of the things that both of them are doing well, and then a list of the things that they’re not doing well,” Day later said. “I just don’t think, as I sit here right now, that I can name one the starter.” 

Speaking in front of the media at the Ohio State team room Monday, Day mentioned that neither McCord or Brown have been able to separate themselves through the first two weeks of fall camp, a pitfall that has ultimately led to the delay in the decision. The two quarterbacks have split time with both the starters and backups thus far in practice. 

“You’d like a sizable gap to name a starter for sure,” Day said. “It’s hard to name somebody when there isn’t a significant gap, like you said. So we’re looking for someone to emerge. There’s been good things. There’s been things that they want back.”

According to the Buckeyes’ head coach, the two signal callers were unable to distinguish themselves during Saturday’s team scrimmage. Day said both McCord and Brown put forth up-and-down showings, excelling in first, second and third-down packages, while putting forth an “okay” performance in red zone schemes. 

“There were some good plays there, but there were also some plays that they would want back,” Day said. “Again, we’re looking for the consistency there.” 

“That’s a word I keep saying, consistency,” Day continued. “To be able to do it over, and over and over again. It’s not good enough to just do it two or three times, and then throw an interception. You just can’t do that. And the expectation, the standard here, is very, very high. But all these guys knew that when they came here. We all agreed to that in recruiting.”

Although Day admitted that he wants his two quarterbacks to cut down on their inconsistent play before making a decision on a starter, he mentioned that either McCord and Brown will earn the starting job if they simply attack the basics and avoid turning the football over. 

“I don’t feel like there needs to be extraordinary play,” Day said. “It’s making the routine plays routinely, and taking care of the football, period. I think we have to understand situational football, I think that’s important. And then ultimately leading the team down the field. So those are the areas that we’ve been emphasizing, and the competition will continue this week.” 

While Day is still not ready to name a Week 1 starter as of Monday, he anticipates a decision on the quarterback competition, as well as many other positional battles, to be made by the end of the week. 

“I said to the staff that by Saturday, we need to have our identity etched in stone on where we are at,” Day said. “You have your fastballs then you have your changeups and curveballs, but we better know where the fastballs are.”