Ohio State football chose not to participate in the transfer portal quarterback market, as their coach became highly enthusiastic or motivated.
In Columbus, Ohio, the ongoing quarterback shuffle within the transfer portal continues, with Ohio State football taking a passive stance as these developments unfold. The most recent addition to this list is former Texas quarterback Maalik Murphy, who committed to Duke over the weekend. Other notable transfers include Toledo’s Dequan Finn (Baylor), Georgia’s Brock Vandagriff (Kentucky), UCLA’s Dante Moore (Oregon), Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel (also Oregon), and Duke’s Riley Leonard (Notre Dame).
Kyle McCord, the former starting quarterback for Ohio State, also makes headlines after announcing his transfer commitment to Syracuse. Speculation arose regarding Coach Ryan Day’s potential exploration of the transfer portal for quarterback assistance following McCord’s departure. However, to date, none of the highly touted quarterbacks have shown interest in Columbus, and Day seems satisfied with the quarterback competition already present in the team.
In a recent statement, Day mentioned that he has not identified any transfer candidates who would significantly enhance the ongoing competition between Devin Brown, set to start against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, true freshman Lincoln Kienholz, and incoming five-star prospect Air Noland. Day expressed his excitement about the healthy competition, praising Kienholz’s recent progress and anticipating Noland’s contributions in the upcoming spring.
The lack of interest from transfer quarterbacks may not solely be attributed to Day’s satisfaction with the current roster. Kyle McCord’s departure serves as a precedent where a quarterback with one year of eligibility left opted to leave when not guaranteed the starting position for 2024 over the existing competition. Any incoming quarterback of starting caliber via the portal would require a similar assurance from Day, making the prospect less enticing for potential transfers.
Day’s optimism about the upcoming quarterback performance in 2024 stems from his observation of Devin Brown during several bowl preparation practices. Brown, set for his first career start against a formidable SEC top-10 team, has the opportunity to influence Day’s decision on whether to extend the evaluation to a four-man competition in the spring or stick with the existing quarterback options.
