Starting QB from top program enters transfer portal

Another big name has entered the college football transfer portal.

Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord entered his name into the transfer portal on Monday, according to multiple reports, including ESPN's Adam Rittenberg.

McCord, who is in his third year with Ohio State, started for the Buckeyes all season. He was a backup behind C.J. Stroud for two years and then beat out Devin Brown for the starting job heading into 2023. While the stats are solid, the results have been mixed for McCord.

McCord completed 65.8% of his passes for 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions this season. Two of those interceptions came in Ohio State’s 30-24 loss to rival Michigan.

After Ohio State was selected on Sunday to face Missouri in the Dec. 29 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day spoke about the year McCord has had. Day praised McCord for showing toughness and improving throughout the season, but he made it clear he was not committing to McCord as his starting quarterback going forward.

“When you come up short, the bottom line is you got to look at everything, because you didn’t get it done, and that’s the thing that is just sobering here,” Day said, via Rittenberg. “At 11-1, you come up short on the last possession, it’s just not good enough. So you got to look at everything, and we will look at everything.”

The most likely reason for McCord’s decision is that Day has his sights set on another quarterback, likely one that already has or will soon enter the transfer portal. McCord, who has one year of eligibility remaining, probably would not be leaving Ohio State if he were assured he would remain the team’s starter.

McCord is not the first notable quarterback to enter the transfer portal in recent days.