The Ohio State Buckeyes suffered maybe the most shocking loss to the NCAA Transfer Portal of any team in the country when starting quarterback Kyle McCord elected to leave the program earlier this month.
And now, it appears that the reasons behind his decision to leave have finally come to light.
Per a report from the Colombus Dispatch, McCord's two main reasons for leaving the program were a lack of certainty about being the team's starter in 2024, as well as a desire for more money via NIL.
McCord had an up-and-down season in 2023, but still ranked 14th in the country in QB rating, while completing 65.8 percent of his passes for 3,170 yards and 24 touchdowns, with just six picks. He also led the Buckeyes to an 11-1 regular season and a No. 7 finish in the College Football Playoff rankings.
That said, the inconsistencies down the stretch threw his future into question, and with the Buckeyes rumored to be searching for another quarterback in the portal themselves, that was not something the Junior was willing to risk.
As for the NIL money, McCord reportedly desired a bigger commitment from the program in terms of a payout. However, the school was unwilling to budge on that front, leading McCord to ultimately make the decision to move on.
Now, it appears that McCord could be heading to the East Coast, where he is rumored to be favored to land with the Syracuse Orange in the ACC.
Meanwhile, the Buckeyes will now search either from within the program in Devin Brown, Lincoln Keinholz, or incoming freshman Air Nolan, or potentially via the portal.
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