Ohio State Buckeyes‘ transfer quarterback Kyle McCord was predicted to end up a Nebraska Cornhusker, but has since moved on in the wake of the news that five-star Georgia Bulldog quarterback-commit Dylan Raiola is likely to flip his commitment to the Cornhuskers, according to On3 Sports’ Pete Nakos.
NEWS: Ohio State transfer QB Kyle McCord is moving on from Nebraska, @PeteNakos_ reports.
The former Buckeyes signal-caller will keep his transfer portal recruitment open👀https://t.co/NymQoMrFbn pic.twitter.com/fo95sgrOPD
— On3 (@On3sports) December 13, 2023
Nebraska was the odds-on favorite to land McCord, after he and fellow Ohio State transfer wide receiver Julian Fleming visited Lincoln. As of Dec. 8, the Huskers led the pack with +250 odds to land the former Ohio State signal caller.
Fleming posted on his social media that he was in Lincoln, but there was no such posts from McCord. The other teams that had odds to land McCord were the Texas A&M Aggies with +300 odds, and the Florida State Seminoles with +400 odds. McCord was on campus at Lincoln Monday, but On3’s Pete Nakos confirms the Huskers will not be in the mix.
“Ohio State transfer quarterback Kyle McCord was on campus at Nebraska on Monday,” Nakos Said. “Coming out of that visit, multiple sources now tell On3 that McCord will be moving forward with his recruitment, keeping his options open and looking at another batch of schools. The Huskers will not be in the mix.”
McCord faced a lot of scrutiny from Ohio State fans and was not guaranteed a starting job with the Buckeyes moving forward. In an article from Cleveland.com, Ohio State teammates like Jack Sawyer expressed their displeasure with the way McCord was treated.
“I really felt bad for him how he was treated after those games, and I don’t think it was fair,” Sawyer said “I think I understand that, at Ohio State, the quarterback’s expected to win games. I don’t think at all it’s his fault that we lost that game at Ann Arbor.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers garnered competition with the addition of Dylan Raiola, causing Kyle McCord to look elsewhere
While nothing can be confirmed yet, Raiola’s sudden commitment and McCord’s sudden departure point to the fact that Raiola was likely told he would have a good chance to compete for a starting job as a true freshman. The fact that three-star recruit Daniel Kaelin also opened up his options with a planned visit to Michigan State makes this seem more likely.
Called it last night. McCord wants to go where the job is his no question. https://t.co/aIKw7TTjvK
— The Big Ten Huddle 🎙️ (@TheBigTenHuddle) December 13, 2023
Guaranteeing a starting job is not a part of head coach Matt Rhule’s coaching style, so it is equally likely that the notion of competition was enough to drive McCord away. The reason he left Ohio State in the first place was because head coach Ryan Day could not guarantee he would be the starter moving forward after he threw multiple interceptions against their biggest rival, the Michigan Wolverines
McCord is a proven Big Ten quarterback, and he would definitely have a shot at starting, especially if Raiola opted to redshirt his freshman year. McCord threw 24 touchdowns and six interceptions, which would’ve beaten former quarterback Zac Taylor’s record for all-time touchdowns in a season at Nebraska.
Now that Nebraska is out of the picture, Kyle McCord’s options remain open
Before the report that McCord would be moving on from the Huskers, the odds were as follows:
- Nebraska +250
- Texas A&M +300
- Florida State +400
- Oregon +400
- Miami +500
- Oklahoma +700
- Rutgers +800
- Baylor +900
- Mississippi State +1000
With the news that former Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel will transfer to Oregon, McCord is unlikely to find a home in Eugene. If former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord wants to be guaranteed a starting job, he will likely not go somewhere that another transfer quarterback has already committed to.
If Rhule decides to put all his eggs in the Raiola basket, he will likely not pursue another transfer quarterback. That being said, it is hard to pass up on proven talent at the collegiate level. Not every blue chip prospect turns into a star, but getting a solid, proven quarterback from the portal will be much more difficult with five-star competition.
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