Former Ohio State QB Gets Candid on Split from Buckeyes

This former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback has opened up on his decision to transfer from the team.

Nov 18, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord walks into Ohio Stadium prior to the NCAA football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Perhaps one of the most maligned Ohio State Buckeyes players in recent memory has been quarterback Kyle McCord, who had a disappointing 2023 campaign before transferring out of the program.

McCord landed with the Syracuse Orange, where he enjoyed a terrific 2024 season, leading the country with 4,779 passing yards to go along with 34 touchdown passes. Yes, he threw 12 interceptions, but he completed 66 percent of his throws and finished 10th in Heisman Trophy voting.

Now, McCord is heading into the NFL Draft, and prior to the draft, he sat down with former NFL coach Jon Gruden for an episode of Gruden's QB Class.

During the interview, Gruden asked McCord what caused the split between him and Ohio State, and the 22-year-old provided a blunt, honest answer.

“I thought just going on from Year 1 to Year 2 I made a big improvement and wanted to come back,” McCord said. “They wanted to go in a different direction.”

So, not surprisingly, it was the Buckeyes—not McCord—who chose to end the marriage. It seemed to work out well for both sides, as Ohio State landed Will Howard, who proceeded to lead the Buckeyes to a national championship. Meanwhile, McCord obviously enjoyed considerable success at Syracuse.

McCord arrived at Columbus in 2021, but did not began earning significant playing time until 2023, when he totaled 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns and six picks while completing 65.8 percent of his passes.

The 6-foot-3 signal-caller is widely expected to be a Day 3 pick later this month.

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