At Ohio State, Thursday was about Will HowardThe Kansas State graduate was officially named the Buckeyes’ new starting quarterback.
But Devin Brown is the replacement – at least for now – and head coach Ryan Day has finally confirmed something about the redshirt sophomore that he hinted at last year.
Day did so when asked if the timing of the announcement of this year’s starting quarterback – Aug. 15, the earliest day Day has ever announced a winner of a contest under center – was influenced by how long last year’s one-on-one race between Brown and the eventual 2023 starter lasted. Kyle McCord took.
“No, I think every year is different,” Day said, before making a startling, if not shocking, statement.
“And this time last year, I thought Devin was going to be the starter, and Kyle just came in and really did a great job down the stretch. Going into the first couple of games, I couldn’t look the team in the eye and say he’s the starter. Because they know what they’re seeing. And that’s a big part, the locker room, and then (Kyle) won the first couple of weeks and then it kind of went from there.”
Day added: “I think every year is different. But I think this situation (with Will) was the right time.”
Brown’s competition with McCord really began in the lead-up to the 2022 Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinals. Brown suffered a finger injury the following April and required surgery, costing him the final week of spring practice and the exhibition game at Ohio Stadium. Both McCord and Brown took turns taking the lead in the quarterback battle during training camp, but McCord was given the Week 1 nod on August 29 and was then named the full-time starter on September 12, prior to Week 3.
The Buckeyes put Brown in the red zone midway through the season, and he scored his first rushing touchdown at Purdue (he would have scored another if he hadn’t fumbled). Later that day, he threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to then-first-year true wide receiver Brandon Inniss while mopping up. The following week, Ohio State put Brown in the red zone against Penn State, but he sprained his right ankle trying to get to the goal line.
Brown sat out the final stretch of the regular season, and although he was eventually ruled out of action, he did not play another snap until the Cotton Bowl, where he assumed a key role on offense and earned his first career start in the New Year’s Six bowl game.
McCord had already transferred to Syracuse by this time, giving Brown the opportunity to establish himself as Ohio State’s future quarterback. Unfortunately for Brown, he suffered another sprain in the first half, this time in his left ankle, and was sidelined. Ohio State eventually lost 14-3 to Missouri.
Less than a week later, the Buckeyes signed Howard through the portal. Brown did not transfer in the winter or the spring. He remained true to his commitment to Ohio State.
“Devin has shown he can do just about anything we ask of him,” Day said. “He just has to be consistent and take care of the football to make sure he does a good job going forward. If he can do that, he can play and contribute.”
“A big part of being a quarterback is persevering and keeping working. Once you hit a little obstacle or resistance along the way, you just have to keep going.”
Day mentioned that Ohio State needed three quarterbacks to get through the 2014 season – starting with Braxton Miller in training camp, then JT Barrett and finally Cardale Jones – in which the Buckeyes won their last national championship. He also mentioned that Max Duggan was a Heisman Trophy finalist and national runner-up at TCU in 2022, a season he began as a backup.
Brown’s career at Ohio State University was marked by numerous “what if” moments.
On Thursday, the greatest achievement of all was celebrated: Had Brown finished training camp last year with flying colors, he would have been QB1 at the start of the 2023 season and not McCord.
Now he is QB2 again and in competition with real newcomers Julian Sayin to maintain this role ahead of the 2024 campaign.
Brown has undoubtedly made progress over the offseason, particularly throwing a great long ball in training camp, but his resilience will be tested again, this time with Howard ahead of him in the rankings.
