Ohio State Is The New Quarterback U
The Ohio State University football program has been known as "Linebacker U" for a number of decades. With famous names like Mike Vrabel, A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and James Laurinaitis roaming the secondary in the past, current and incoming players have big shoes to fill.
And now, coach Ryan Day wants the Buckeyes to be known for another position as well. Day wants to turn Ohio State into a quarterback factory.
Having a good quarterback isn't good enough anymore. There's too much competition from other Big Ten schools as well as outside the league, such as the Big 12 and SEC.
Ohio State needs great quarterbacks. And so far, under Day, it's happening. Just look at the last three starters for the Buckeyes.
“It definitely helps,” quarterback coach Corey Dennis said. “It’s been pretty good to have those guys. Justin (Fields) is gonna kill it this year and I can’t wait to see what C.J. (Stroud) is going to do. It’s exciting for those guys.”
Dwayne Haskins came along in 2018 and took just 14 games to break just about every notable school passing record on his way to becoming a Heisman finalist and the No. 15 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Justin Fields followed the next season, reaching the title game in 2020, then became the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Next was C.J. Stroud, who was a two-time Heisman finalist who was the second overall pick in this year's NFL Draft.
Day has built a new tradition at Ohio State at the quarterback position, with two of his last three being Heisman finalists and the other receiving first-place votes.
This brings us to 2023 and Kyle McCord and Devin Brown. They will both be locked in a quarterback battle that will most likely extend through fall camp. It's a competition where they're not just battling each other, but the last three players who were under center for the Buckeyes.
It's a good problem to have. And much like previous linebackers that have run through Columbus, one day we might be talking about the rich history of Heisman-winning quarterbacks that Ohio State is known for.
“We’re still in the process of worrying about yourself and getting better,” Dennis said. “When you worry about yourself and you maximize who you can become, then the other stuff kind of takes care of itself.”
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