Ohio State QB Kyle McCord's Top Landing Spots After Entering Transfer Portal
Power Five programs in need of immediate help at quarterback may have found a solution Monday with news that Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord is entering the transfer portal, according to the Columbus Dispatch's Joey Kaufman.
McCord threw for 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions in his first year as the Buckeyes' starter. He could decide to stay in Columbus, but Monday's decision appears to signal the end of his time with OSU.
The junior's motivation for entering the portal is unclear. He could see the writing on the wall with Ohio State getting a commitment from Air Noland, the No. 34 overall player in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2024 recruiting class. Or he might simply want to get out from under the scrutiny and pressure that comes with being the starting QB at a program where anything less than a national championship is a disappointment.
Here are some of the initial candidates that make sense for McCord, assuming he won't be donning scarlet and gray next season.
Iowa Hawkeyes
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Not for the first time, Iowa fans were left to question what could've been for the Hawkeyes if they merely could've had an average offense.
Cade McNamara has signaled his desire to stay at Iowa for the 2024 season, but head coach Kirk Ferentz may need to aim higher if he wants to avoid a similar fate for his team next year.
McNamara suffered a torn ACL on Sept. 30, and his performance before that wasn't exactly moving the needle. He threw for 505 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions in five appearances. The senior went 5-of-14 for 42 yards in a 31-0 loss to Penn State on Sept. 23.
Not to mention, McNamara's Michigan tenure was defined by the fact he gave the Wolverines a pretty firm ceiling on their postseason ambitions. Replacing him with J.J. McCarthy took them to another level.
Maybe McNamara will become a completely different player with a new offensive coordinator eventually installed. The available evidence says otherwise, though.
Miami Hurricanes
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Mario Cristobal probably isn't coaching for his job in 2024 because it's tough to envision a realistic scenario in which Miami cuts bait after just three years. There's no doubt he needs to show some more improvement, though.
To help make that happen, hitting the transfer portal to find a new starting quarterback is likely a top priority.
Tyler Van Dyke announced on Nov. 27 his plans to enter the portal, and Miami has only one commitment from a quarterback for 2024, 3-star recruit Judd Anderson.
Cristobal and his staff could be high on Emory Williams, who's expected to be healthy for spring practice. Jacurri Brown, meanwhile, will have an audition in the Pinstripe Bowl against Rutgers on Dec. 28.
McCord would bring more experience to the role and buy Cristobal more time to identify a longer-term solution from the 2025 class.
Oregon Ducks
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Like Miami, Oregon is losing a multiyear starter with no immediate replacement waiting in the wings.
Austin Novosad was a 4-star recruit in the 2023 class but attempted just four passes as a true freshman while backing up Bo Nix. Three-star recruit Luke Moga is the Ducks' only QB commit so far for 2024.
Nix was a bit of a reclamation project when he transferred in from Auburn, so head coach Dan Lanning may not be scared away by the general perception of McCord. For McCord, the fact Nix became a Heisman Trophy candidate in Eugene would lead him to believe he can make the most of his last year of eligibility.
Not to mention, adding a former Big Ten quarterback might help the Ducks as they enter their first year in the conference.
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