When fall camp begins on Aug. 3, all eyes will presumably be fixated on the open quarterback battle between junior Kyle McCord and redshirt freshman Devin Brown.
Although questions loom large for Ohio State under center with just 10 days left until camp, McCord is eager to make the most out of the unique opportunity.
“The more reps, the better,” McCord said. “Whether it’s (with) the first team or second team, regardless of who it is. I think that is always beneficial. Now I think taking that next step into a leadership role is going to be important, just continuing all those things.”
McCord, who has thrown 606 passing yards with three touchdowns in his 12 appearances, said the competition he has experienced with Brown throughout the offseason has elevated the play of the two signal callers.
“Overall, I think we’ve definitely been pushing each other,” McCord said. “He’s definitely getting me better. I’m getting him better. So it’s been good.”
The Mt. Laurel, New Jersey native said the quarterback battle fostered an environment of intense competition that spread throughout the roster during the spring, with many players also vying for starting roles. This is a feeling that will carry over into the fall, as — aside from McCord and Brown — the Buckeyes will hold tight position battles at center, right tackle, cornerback, safety and kicker.
“I think overall, it was really good,” McCord said. “I felt like we grew a lot. Guys competing for jobs. I thought we took a step in the right direction and I think we just need to continue that momentum here into fall camp.”
While McCord opens fall camp with the individual goal of earning the starting quarterback role, he also hopes to see the offense grow as they inch closer to the regular season. With multiple All-Big Ten players returning, the junior signal caller believes they are well on their way to achieving that feat.
“I don’t think you can really put a limit on what this offense can do,” McCord said. “Obviously, we have a lot of great weapons, and then (we have) guys stepping into new roles. I think it’s about coming together and playing as one unit. Being able to run the ball, pass the ball, and do what we want to do. I think the sky’s the limit for this unit.”
“(My teammates are) alright,” McCord joked. “No, I’m kidding. It’s unreal, the talent we have at receiver, tight end, (offensive) line, running back, all across the board, I think is second to none. We’re definitely spoiled at the quarterback position. When you walk out there, regardless of if you’re going with the first or second team, you’re going to have some dudes out there.”
