LATEST NEWS: Ohio State transfer quarterback controversy is defended by CJ Stroud. “That Belonged to Him.”

Quarterback CJ Stroud, a former Ohio State standout and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, isn’t very vocal about the media and generating news. He essentially just shows up, gets the job done, and leaves. In fact, due of his quiet and collected manner, some people occasionally think he doesn’t seem to care or be invested in whatever he does.

He seemed to go against that on Wednesday. Following Ohio State’s NFL Pro Day, Stroud spoke candidly and firmly with reporters over the departure of former starting quarterback Kyle McCord for the Buckeyes.

Supporting Kyle McCord’s Decision to Remain, CJ Stroud
Many people have taken issue with Kyle McCord’s departure from OSU. Some explained his choice to depart for his last year of eligibility by pointing to fears that he wouldn’t be able to lead the Buckeyes past Michigan, that the occasion was too huge in Columbus, or even that he would have faced competition at quarterback should he have stayed.

CJ Stroud indicated that he spoke with McCord and supported him in his decision, regardless of the reason behind McCord’s departure. He disclosed the following:

“I reached out to him, and after a few exchanges, it became clear what he was thinking.Man, sometimes you grow out of locations. That was, I believe, his thing. He simply became bored with everything happening on here and wanted to see other things. And that’s God’s purpose for his life, as well as what you sometimes have to do.

McCord Left Ohio State in Search of Promises

In his senior year at Ohio State, Kyle McCord filled in as Stroud’s backup. Some speculate that McCord, who chose to access the transfer portal early in the window, was hoping to join with a rival school like Michigan or Alabama, Oklahoma, or possibly Alabama. He ultimately chose to attend Syracuse, a team that had only produced a winning record in the previous ten years.

It is expected that McCord will receive significant NIL compensation, and there will be no competition for the starting quarterback position, two guarantees he wanted from the Buckeyes but did not get from Ryan Day. It’s easy to look at that and think that he left on bad terms, but if his goal is the NFL and getting NIL, he may have made the best investment in himself that he could, even if it looks bad now.