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The Ohio State Buckeyes lost starting quarterback Kyle McCord to the transfer portal on Monday.
But if fans have anything to say about it., they may already know their starter for 2024
The Buckeyes entered the 2023 college football season with a significant amount of uncertainty at the quarterback position.
As it turns out, they’re set to finish the season the same way.
McCord battled throughout the offseason with backup Devin Brown before ultimately coming out on top.
It was anything but smooth sailing from that point on, however.
McCord completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions on the season. Not bad, in a vacuum.
But the Buckeyes offense featured perhaps the best two wide receivers in the country and failed to ever really resemble the juggernaut we’ve come to expect out of Columbus.
McCord’s struggled were exemplified in Ohio State’s 30-24 loss to rival Michigan. Particularly after the New Jersey native threw a late interception while the Buckeyes were driving to either try to tie or take the lead with under a minute to play.
With McCord gone, that leaves just Brown, redshirt freshman Lincoln Kienholz and incoming five-star recruit Air Noland to compete for the job.
Which leads many to believe that the Buckeyes have their eyes on one of the several big name signal callers in the transfer portal.
In particular, Washington State transfer Cam Ward appears to be the front-runner.
NEWS: Ohio State, Oregon, USC, Florida State, Washington, Miami and Wisconsin have emerged as schools to watch for transfer QB Cam Ward, @PeteNakos_ reports👀https://t.co/D3Iy0VADZ3 pic.twitter.com/A8clqpcS5V
— On3 (@On3sports) December 4, 2023
Not only have the Buckeyes emerged as one of the favorites to land Ward according to Pete Nakos of On3 Sports.
But Buckeyes fans also appear to favor Ward over just about everyone else on the market.
Cam Ward, you AREan Ohio St Buckeye! pic.twitter.com/aG63UjsDJ3
— Austin (@AStheGOAT24) December 4, 2023
Cam ward no question https://t.co/n1ISniLRce
— jaivon williams (@jaionmars) December 4, 2023
Ward, who joined the Cougars from FCS school Incarnate World via the portal, threw for 6,968 yards, 48 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in two seasons in the Pac-12.
He now becomes one of the nation’s most-coveted transfer prospects. And if the internet has any clue, he’ll soon be an Ohio State Buckeye.