Ohio State QB Coach Corey Dennis Expects 'Effiecent And Productive' Battle In Spring
From the outside world, Ohio State might look lost at its most valuable position. From an inside perspective, Buckeyes quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis doesn't view the position as one under duress.
For the second time in the Ryan Day era, a quarterback battle will occur entering spring football. C.J. Stroud elected to enter the draft following a stellar junior season that featured a second Heisman finalist honor.
This leaves second-year passer Kyle McCord and first-year option Devin Brown in a heated bout to become Stroud's successor starting Week 1 against Indiana. While Day wants to see an even-keel competition that ends with one player taking the lead, Dennis is looking more for consistency and development.
"There's a blank slate," Dennis said Wednesday at Ohio State's assistant coach's media session. "The difference is this time around, the guys know what areas they want to work on, they want to improve on and build.
"It'll be a fun spring, for sure."
Neither quarterback should have an advantage in the race for QB1. McCord, a second-year passer from Mount Laurel, N.J., might have garnered the title of backup, but he's only completed 58 pass attempts in two years and made one start. Brown, the de facto QB3, has yet to complete a pass since arriving from Utah last spring.
Dennis, who enters his third season as the Buckeyes' quarterbacks coach, said that the expectation wouldn't change at the position regardless of who wins the role. The difference in who wins the battle? Respect.
That starts by putting in the work during off-season workouts in the weight room. The next step will be carrying it over to film study and eventually the practice field.
"Right now at this point is just, ‘How can you be vocal?’” Dennis said. “The great ones that we’ve had here at Ohio State, you knew exactly when Justin Fields walked into a room. You knew when J.T. [Barrett] walked into a room. You know when C.J. walked into a room. And I think that just letting them feel you is good.”
Losing a talent like Stroud is second nature at this point. A highly-touted quarterback enters the NFL draft; the next "can't-miss" name enters the building.
The Buckeyes are no strangers to intense battles in spring camp at the position. Since the days of Urban Meyer, Ohio State has seen its fair share of stiff competitors battle it out in hopes of earning the starting nod come Week 1.
Sometimes, it works in a team's favor. Other times, it backfires.
Before the 2018 season, the late Dwyane Haskins won the starting job over junior Joe Burrow. Meyer had said that battle was close, but Haskins gave the program their best chance of winning a national title.
Haskins would set both Ohio State and Big Ten records in 2018 en route to a Rose Bowl victory. Burrow, who transferred to LSU following Haskins' promotion, ended up becoming an icon in the bayou, winning the national championship and Heisman Trophy before becoming the No. 1 overall pick in 2020.
Fields, however, is one of those players that would fall in the former category. After starting his career at Georgia, Fields joined the program in 2019 to replace Haskins. Two years later, the Buckeyes were playing in the national championship against Alabama.
Day said that the player who separates themselves as a leader would ultimately win the job. Dennis would agree, but he also is hoping to see which prospect can be efficient and productive.
"Those are two things that we're going to look for in the spring and how you can transition the offense and can you run the offense," Dennis said. "Can you be those two things [efficent] and can you execute as well."
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