Why i left Ohio State: Kyle McCord finally speaks out
After first logging onto the NCAA transfer portal about two weeks ago, Kyle McCord has disclosed the school where he will play his final season of eligibility:
As initially reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel and then verified by the signal-caller himself, the former Ohio State quarterback has committed to play for Syracuse and first-year coach Fran Brown:
— Kyle McCord (@kylemccord16) December 17, 2023
Even though it has been reported that Ryan Day and his coaching staff wanted McCord to return for his senior season after throwing for more than 3,000 yards in 2023, McCord’s chances of starting at Syracuse are far higher than they were at Ohio State. Day’s inability to guarantee McCord a starting position going forward, along with Air Noland’s pledge in the 2024 recruiting class, had a role in McCord’s decision to leave.
However, why did he choose Syracuse? In his last year of eligibility, McCord chose to transfer to the ACC school. Here’s why:
Why did Kyle McCord transfer to Syracuse?
ESPN stated that McCord’s choice to move to play football for Orange was mostly influenced by his familiarity with Brown and his coaching staff. In addition to Nunzio Campanile and Jeff Nixon—who is now the run game coordinator for the New York Giants and is anticipated to become Syracuse’s offensive coordinator going forward—he is acquainted with both Brown and Nixon.
“I think the experience on the coaching staff is extremely important,” McCord stated to ESPN. It played a significant role in my choice. Simply being in an environment where talented players can surround me. They have made significant progress on the portal trail, attracting players from Georgia and other states. When you take all of things into account, it becomes a desirable location.”
Additionally, McCord informed ESPN that he knew Denis Jaquez Jr. and Alijah Clark, two other football players from the New Jersey area who are presently on the Orange’s roster.
“Just being around a bunch of guys I played football with growing up,” McCord stated to ESPN. “I’ve known these coaches for a very long time. Everything seemed to be happening at the perfect moment.”
However, McCord’s judgment was influenced by factors beyond Brown’s team and his ability to lead.
Kyle McCord high school
Kyle McCord pledged to play for the Ohio State University while attending St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia. In his Ohio State player bio, he states that as a sophomore, he won the starting quarterback job and completed 66.5% of his passes for 2,883 yards and 38 touchdowns.
Before sitting out the final four games of the season, he finished his junior year with 2,399 passing yards and 31 touchdowns. As a senior, he assisted St. Joseph’s in winning their third straight 6A state championship. In addition to setting local and conference records for career passing yards (6,887) and touchdown passes (88), he was a member of the 2020 Pennsylvania MaxPreps All-State team.
According to 247Sports’ Composite rankings, McCord was a five-star candidate in the 2020 recruiting class. He was ranked as the No. 6 quarterback, the No. 2 player from Pennsylvania, and the No. 28 player overall.
Where is Kyle McCord from?
McCord is a New Jersey native, having grown up in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, before attending St. Joseph’s. His father, Derek McCord, also has ties to football in New York, having played quarterback for Rutgers from 1988-92.
Kyle McCord eligibility
McCord, who is still eligible for one more year, added that being able to start right away played a major role in his choice. He considered committing to Nebraska as a result, but that decision was tempered by the Cornhuskers’ attempt to trade quarterback Dylan Raiola from the 2024 recruiting class.
“I have one more chance to go out and really commit myself, and going through the process, I was looking at schools where I’d have a chance of winning right away,” McCord stated to ESPN. “And with the pieces going there, I’ll definitely have that option.”
Garrett Shrader’s impending departure means that Syracuse will soon have a quarterback vacancy, with Braden Davis and Carlos Del Rio-Wilson the only scholarship quarterbacks remaining on the squad.