Ohio State Balancing Backup Quarterback Kyle McCord’s Opportunities With Respect For Game
Ohio State sophomore quarterback Kyle McCord has played 53 snaps this season in relief of starter C.J. Stroud, attempting just 16 passes while handing the ball off or running it himself a combined 37 times.
But seeing as he’s likely going to be the starter next season after Stroud departs for the NFL, it begs the question of whether or not the Buckeyes should give McCord more chances to throw the ball in the final minutes of blowouts.
“It’s obviously a good problem to have, don’t get me wrong, but it is something that you just want to make sure you respect the game,” head coach Ryan Day said during his press conference on Tuesday afternoon. “At the same time, you do want to get him going a little bit.”
McCord threw two passes after he entered Saturday’s 49-20 win over Michigan State in the third quarter, including a four-yard completion to wide receiver Jayden Ballard and a 12-yarder to walk-on Reis Stocksdale on consecutive drives to start the fourth.
The other 14 snaps, meanwhile, were either handoffs to freshman running back Dallan Hayden and walk-on T.C. Caffey or quarterback keepers as the Buckeyes attempted to run out the clock on a 29-point victory.
“You start to get inside of five or six minutes in the fourth quarter when you’re up in a lopsided game, and I just want to make sure I respect the game in that area,” Day said. “Certainly, we want to get him in the game if it’s the end of the third quarter, early fourth quarter, and get some first downs and let him go play.”
Last weekend, Alabama quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young was unable to play against Texas A&M due to a shoulder injury, showing just how quickly an injury to Stroud could thrust McCord into action.
His backup, redshirt freshman Jalen Milroe, completed 12-of-19 passes for 111 yards and three touchdowns in his absence, but also lost two fumbles and threw an interception in the Crimson Tide’s 24-20 win over the Aggies.
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If the Buckeyes ever find themselves in that situation, though, it’s worth noting McCord already has one start under his belt, as he threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns with an interception in last year’s 59-7 win over Akron, when Stroud was resting his own injured throwing shoulder.
That alone gives McCord more experience than Stroud had during his true freshman season, when he played just eight snaps and didn’t throw a single pass. Now look at Stroud, whose 68 touchdown passes are the second most in school history.
Perhaps that’s why Day isn’t too concerned with McCord throwing a handful of passes against a second- or third-string defense. Perhaps he already knows what McCord has to offer and how easily he could run the score up.
“It’s good to get him in the game, get whoever in the game, whether it’s the quarterback or anybody else,” Day said. “Getting those game reps under your belt is different than practice, for sure, but that’s just the way I’ve always believed the game should be played.
“When you’re rolling and you’re in the third quarter, beginning of the fourth quarter, go play. But when you start to get to the end of those games and they get a little lopsided, I think that’s just the way to respect the game.”
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