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Ohio State football’s 2023 season depends on QB development

By Chris Peterson

Dec 29, 2022; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord (6) drops back to throw during a team practice for the Peach Bowl game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff semifinal at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus DispatchFootball Ohio State Football Media Day
Dec 29, 2022; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord (6) drops back to throw during a team practice for the Peach Bowl game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff semifinal at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus DispatchFootball Ohio State Football Media Day /
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With the news that C.J. Stroud has declared for the NFL draft, the Ohio State football season in 2023 will come down to quarterback development. 

C.J. Stroud waited until the final day to announce that he was going to enter his name in the 2023 NFL draft and Ohio State football fans were holding out hope that he would return.

Yet, after consecutive seasons as a Heisman trophy finalist and leading the Buckeyes to the College Football Playoff in 2022, Stroud is off to the NFL where he is likely to be a top-five pick.

People have said Ohio State football quarterbacks don’t translate to the NFL. It’s true that they have struggled but Justin Fields is coming along OK and Stroud is a different kind of passer. I’d have zero qualms about taking him in the top three and maybe even No. 1 overall.

At any rate, what it means from an Ohio State football perspective is that next season’s success is going to depend on the development of Kyle McCord or Devin Brown. Those guys will battle it out for the starting job.

McCord is probably the favorite. He was ranked 28th overall in the 2021 recruiting class and was a five-star out of Pennslyvania. He took all 20 pass attempts that didn’t go to Stroud and completed 16-fo-20 for 190 yards and a touchdown.

Looking back, Ohio State football essentially chose McCord over J.J. McCarthy, and having to go into Michigan with a first-year starting quarterback won’t make ending the two-year losing streak any easier.

However, McCarthy was a first-year starter in 2022 and delivered Michigan’s first win in Columbus since 2000. So, experience isn’t always everything. Talent matters and McCord has it.

Brown is also a talented player too. He ranked 42nd overall in the 2022 class and was the top-ranked player in Utah. Brown isn’t necessarily a dual-threat quarterback but he’s got the ability to get yards with his legs if needed and he should be another solid option after having the 2022 season to develop behind C.J. Stroud and McCord.

Both of these guys will get reps in spring ball and likely in fall camp. The offense is loaded with talent returners led by Marvin Harrison Jr., although the offensive line is down some key starters that are leaving for the NFL.

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Yet, the pipeline is also stocked full and as long as Ohio State gets production at QB, it should be in the playoff and national title mix once again.

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