B1G Time: Ohio State delaying starting QB decision was wrong call, Penn State reveals glaring flaw

When Ohio State coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline made the decision to not make a decision on their starting quarterback as the season began, they likely did so with the idea a conclusion must be reached before the Week 4 matchup with Notre Dame. That’s why I wasn’t surprised when the Buckeyes pulled the plug on the competition before the Western Kentucky game and named Kyle McCord as starter.

That decision, however, should’ve been made before the season began.

I don’t say that because McCord and the Buckeyes offense were terrific in a 63-10 drubbing of the Hilltoppers. I say that because Ohio State was already saddled with plenty more transition coming into the season, so delaying the QB decision was an unnecessary distraction.

Plenty have compared Ohio State’s decision to have the QB competition linger into the season to what Jim Harbaugh and Michigan did last year, but that comparison misses a lot of key differences in the situation. Last year, Michigan was dealing with two players who had plenty of experience in Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy. 

McNamara was the 2021 starter but McCarthy played in 11 games during the season and had a portion of the Michigan playbook dedicated to him. McCord appeared in 12 games and threw 58 passes in two seasons as C.J. Stroud’s backup at Ohio State, while Devin Brown hadn’t thrown a pass in college.

Michigan also had Sherrone Moore at offensive coordinator. He’d been the co-offensive coordinator at Michigan in 2021 alongside Josh Gattis and worked with both McNamara and McCarthy. Hartline has been a phenomenal wide receivers coach at Ohio State, but this is his first year calling plays.

It doesn’t matter how good a coach you are; there’s an art to calling plays in a game that…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/b1g-time-ohio-state-delaying-starting-qb-decision-was-wrong-call-penn-state-reveals-glaring-flaw/

Author : Tom Fornelli

Publish date : 2023-09-19 13:45:50

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