Ohio State loses starting QB to transfer portal weeks before Cotton Bowl

Though head coach Ryan Day downplayed the possibility prior to McCord's announcement, the quarterback's departure opens the door for OSU to grab one of the high-profile QBs in the transfer portal, including Washington State’s Cam Ward, Duke's Riley Leonard, Kansas State’s Will Howard, Oregon State’s D.J. Uigalelei or Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall.

“Right now, we’re not actively out there searching for anything, other than we’ll see what the next month brings — in all positions,” Day told reporters on Sunday regarding adding a transfer quarterback, via Cleveland.com.

Brown, a 6-foot-3 sophomore, has played just 72 snaps, completing 12-of-22 passes for 197 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in limited action this season. Because of his mobility, Brown was used in certain goal-line packages to give Ohio State different looks earlier in the year.

At one point the third-string QB, Brown stuck it out in Columbus and didn’t transfer when he fell down OSU’s depth chart. Now, he’s the presumed front-runner to replace McCord as the Buckeyes QB1 against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, and he has a chance to use the bowl game to audition for the Buckeyes starting job in 2024.

The Buckeyes have options beyond Brown, should Day look to switch things up. Freshman Lincoln Kienholz attempted five passes, completing four for 25 yards, during the year and could factor into Day’s decision. 

Incoming freshman Air Noland, a five-star QB recruit and the No. 34 overall player in the 2023 class according to the 247Sports composite rankings, could also be in play for the job next season. He would become just the fifth true freshman QB to star for Ohio State.