Kyle

McCord

The second-year back will get a fresh start in Philadelphia, perhaps eventually pushing A.J. Dillon off the roster. Also on Philadelphia’s practice squad are: LB Chance Campbell, WR Elijah Cooks, G Kenyon Green, TE E.J. Jenkins, CB Brandon Johnson, OLB Patrick Johnson, TE Cameron Latu, WR Terrace Marshall, QB Kyle McCord, CB Parry Nickerson, T Hollin Pierce, OLB Antwaun Powell-Ryland, CB Eli Ricks and S Andre Sam.

McCord (6'3"/210) got the start as CJ Stroud got the night off due to a shoulder injury. There is a reason why McCord was a five-star recruit, he looked great. He got the Buckeyes on the board when he hit Chris Olave in the back of the end zone for five yards. He later hit Jaxon Smith-Njigba a little short, but he was able to reach in front of the Akron defender and grab the 34-yard touchdown. His night was over midway through the third quarter as Jack Miller came in with OSU holding a comfortable lead. Even with the great performance by McCord, Stroud is still the guy. Ohio State will travel to Rutgers next Saturday.

With freshman starter C.J. Stroud down due to a shoulder injury, either McCord (6'3/210) or Jack Miller was in line to start Saturday night. McCord won out in the end, but it would not come as a surprise if Miller got some reps as well. Stroud is available, but only in case of an emergency.

Coach Ryan Day said backup QB McCord (6'3"/210) and third-string QB Jack Miller will compete in practice for the starting role against Akron on Saturday. Cj Stroud (shoulder) will be an emergency-only option. Whether it’s McCord or Miller who get the start this week for the Buckeyes, it’s a one-time deal.

CJ Stroud is obviously this team’s starter and has been mentioned several times as early as this past offseason as a player who could become one of the top prospects at his position in the future granted that he shows to be what some have projected he can be as the season goes on. Buckeyes HC Ryan Day has said that he has not settled on a backup QB yet, though freshman Kyle McCord has largely been the projected favorite for the No. 2 spot. Ohio State also has junior QB J.P. Andrade, senior Jagger LaRoe and freshman Jack Miller are also on the depth chart at the position.

McCord, a highly recruited five-star QB, seems to have seized the second string job over fellow freshman Jack Miller. McCord reportedly battled close with starter CJ Stroud but ultimately fell short.

Stroud (6'3/215) is competing with Jack Miller and Kyle McCord for the right to fill the void left by Justin Fields, and the freshman has managed to separate himself in the eyes of his head coach. “We’re not gonna name a starter today, but I do think there has been a little bit of separation,” Day said on Monday. “C.J. has separated here over the last couple of weeks. ... I don’t know how much separation there is, but every day he’s been competing, taking care of the ball, he’s been a leader, and those are all some of the traits we’re looking for.” While Stroud stands to see an increase in first-team practice reps, it’s important to keep in mind that Day said that he isn’t ready to name a starter just yet. That gives Miller and McCord the opportunity to close the gap before the Sept. 4 opener against Minnesota.

Both Stroud and Miller have been getting first-team reps in practice, as the Buckeyes continue to progress towards their annual spring game this weekend. According to Bill Landis of The Athletic, Stroud went first during individual drills during a recent no-pads practice, while Miller was first up during a red zone passing period (against the defense) later in the session. “We’ve been rolling them,” Ohio State HC Ryan Day said. “Guys have had good days and bad days, good reps and not-so-good reps. That’s what happens when you have young quarterbacks. There’s a lot to improve on with all three guys. They need a million reps. The minute you think one guy is taking a step forward, he does something foolish and somebody else will make a play. Now they’re coming on and it flips the other way. But that’s expected. I think they’ve done a good job of not trying to force the action. They’re not trying to win the job in a day, and that’s huge.”

The annual showcase for many of the top high school recruits will not be played this year, with the complications caused by COVID-19 cited as the reason for the decision. In its place NBC will broadcast the “All-American Bowl: Declaration Day” on January 2, showcasing many of the players who accepted invites while also having some undecided recruits announcing their college choices during the show. The game, which was to be played on January 9, boasted 12 Ohio State commits including four-star QB Kyle McCord.

Rivals put out their latest rankings update this week and while four fresh faces joined the five-star club, McCord was not among them. We’ll see how long that lasts. Gorney writes that the 6-foot-3, 204-pounder “has all the skills college coaches are looking for in an elite quarterback prospect.” The analyst notes that added muscle mass and a natural increase in overall athleticism as he continues to mature would help aid McCord’s cause. The signal-caller initially pledged to OSU last April. Rivals currently ranks him as the No. 24 overall prospect in the 2021 class. Don’t be surprised if he rises off that ranking in the months ahead.