Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord got the first crack at securing the team’s starting job this season, and after several strong performances in a row, he is aiming to make a big statement against Notre Dame this weekend.
McCord has completed 69.7% of his passes for six touchdowns and an interception, and has 815 passing yards.
While he struggled in the Buckeyes’ opener against Indiana, he has found his groove against Youngstown State and Western Kentucky, and it’s that consistency that has captured the attention of opponents and media alike, including Joey Kaufman of the Columbus Dispatch.
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During an interview with NBC Sports Chicago’s Big Ten Country, Kaufman broke down what has caused head coach Ryan Day to ride with McCord heading into Saturday’s showdown with the Fighting Irish.
“I think what allowed him to really take hold of the starting job going forward is he’s a very consistent, poised quarterback,” he said. “You don’t really see him make a lot of mistakes, and when he does, they don’t trickle into new things.”
After throwing an interception in that Week 1 win over Indiana, McCord has taken much better care of the football, with six touchdowns, zero interceptions and just one sack in the ensuing two games. His QBR against Western Kentucky was a stellar 95.7, and he has been the lynchpin of one of the country’s most explosive offenses through three weeks.
While his big-play ability has been on full display, with Marvin Harrison and Emeka Egbuka benefiting from his skillset, McCord’s consistency is the real story in the eyes of many.
Big Ten
“The big selling point for McCord and Ohio State’s eyes that he’s a quarterback who’s not going to be up and down,” Kaufman said. “It’s a baseball term: you want to hit the home runs, but you’ve got to make sure that if it’s an easy one over the middle, whack that and get a single. I think it’s a big reason why Kyle McCord is going into this game as Ohio State’s starting quarterback.”
Ohio State, the No. 6-ranked team in America, will travel to South Bend for Saturday’s showdown with Notre Dame. The Irish, at 4-0 on the year, are being paced by their own star quarterback in Sam Hartman, and are aiming for revenge after Ohio State won last season’s opener between the two teams in Columbus.
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday, and the game will air on NBC Chicago and Peacock.