College football: McCord vs. past Ohio State quarterbacks
Sep. 29—How do Kyle McCord's first four games as Ohio State's No. 1 quarterback compare with Buckeyes quarterbacks of the recent past?
Here's a look at McCord's numbers and those of C.J. Stroud, Justin Fields, Dwayne Haskins, J.T. Barrett and others in their first four starts after becoming OSU's first-team quarterback.
In McCord's four games this season, he has completed 65 percent of his passes for 1,055 yards, six touchdowns and one interception.
He was 20 of 33 for 239 yards with no touchdowns and an interception against Indiana, 14 of 20 for 258 yards and three touchdowns against Youngstown State, 19 of 23 for 318 yards and three touchdowns against Western Kentucky and 21 of 37 for 240 yards against Notre Dame last Saturday night.
C.J. Stroud's first four starts in 2021 produced a 64 percent completion percentage, 1,293 passing yards, 13 touchdowns passes and three interceptions.
He was 13 of 22 against Minnesota for 294 yards with four touchdown passes, 35 of 54 for 484 yards and three touchdowns against Oregon, 15 of 25 against Tulsa for 185 yards and one touchdown and 17 of 23 for 330 yards and five touchdowns against Rutgers.
After four starts in 2019 Justin Fields had completed 70 percent of his passes for 880 yards with 13 touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Fields went 18 of 25 for 234 yards and four touchdowns against Florida Atlantic, completed 20 of 25 for 224 yards and two touchdowns against Cincinnati, was 14 of 24 for 199 yards and three touchdowns against Indiana and 14 of 21 for 223 yards and four scores against Miami (Ohio).
Dwayne Haskins connected on 75 percent of his passes for 1,194 yards, 16 touchdowns and one interception in his first four starts in 2018.
Those numbers came against Oregon State (22 of 30; 313 yards, 5 TDs), Rutgers (22 of 30; 233 yards, 4 TDs), TCU (24 of 38) and Tulane (21 of 24; 304 yards, 5 TDs).
When Braxton Miller suffered a season-ending injury in August, J.T. Barrett became the starter for the 2014 season. He completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,087 yards and 13 touchdowns, with five interceptions, in his first four starts.
Barrett was 12 of 15 against Navy for 226 yards and two touchdowns, 9 of 29 for 219 yards and one touchdown, 23 of 30 for 312 yards and six touchdowns against Kent State, and 26 of 36 for 330 yards and four touchdowns against Cincinnati.
Cardale Jones became the starting quarterback for OSU in the 2014 Big Ten championship game, its College Football Playoff semifinal game and championship game and held on to that job early in the 2015 season while J.T. Barrett recovered from an injury.
In his first four starts Jones completed 59 percent of his passes for 928 yards and seven touchdowns, with three interceptions.
He was 12 of 17 for 257 yards and three touchdowns in the Big Ten championship game against Wisconsin, 18 of 35 for 243 yards and a touchdown against Alabama in a playoff semifinal and 16 of 23 for 242 yards and a touchdown in the national championship game. In the 2015 opener against Virginia Tech he was 9 of 18 for 186 yards and two touchdowns.
Braxton Miller became the Buckeyes' starting quarterback in the seventh game of his freshman season in 2011. He completed 47 percent of his passes for 303 yards and four touchdowns in his first four starts.
He was 1 of 4 for 17 yards and a touchdown against Illinois, 7 of 12 for 89 yards and a touchdown against Wisconsin, 5 of 11 for 55 yards against Indiana, and 8 of 18 for 132 yards and two touchdowns against Purdue.
RECRUITING UPDATE
Brandon Baker, a 5-star offensive tackle in the 2024 recruiting class from Santa Ana, Calif. Mater Dei High School who listed Ohio State as one of his five finalists, committed to Texas on Sunday night.
Baker's five finalists were Texas, Georgia, Nebraska, Ohio State and Oregon.
Jeremiah Smith, an Ohio State commit who is ranked the No. 1 receiver nationally in the 2024 recruiting class, has caught 42 passes for 630 yards and nine touchdowns this season for Hollywood, Fla. Chaminade Madonna Prep High School.
In his last two games, Smith has caught 16 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns against Bergen (N.J.) Central High School and 9 passes for 114 yards and two scores against Miami Central High School.
D.J. McClary, a 4-star linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class from Jersey City, N.J., has committed to Penn State over Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Guerby Lambert, a 4-star offensive tackle from Catholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury, Mass., has committed to Notre Dame over Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Florida, LSU and others.
SAY WHAT
"It's a constant striving to get better."
—Jim Knowles on coaching
BUCKEYES TRIVIA
1. Who caught the first touchdown pass Justin Fields threw at Ohio State?
2. What is the Ohio State record for most made field goals in a career?
3. Where did Orlando Pace finish in the 1996 Heisman Trophy voting?
4. What was Eddie George's longest run at Ohio State?
Answers: 1. Jeremy Ruckert; 2. 72 by Mike Nugent; 3. Fourth; 4. 87 yards against Minnesota in 1995.
