“In the recruiting process, they were great,” said McCord, who was a five-star prospect in the class of 2021 at St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia. “They were probably my No. 2 choice, but I think when Coach Day gave me the green light to commit there was really no doubt this was the place to be given their track record.”
McCord was a recruit in the stands in 2018 when Penn State played host to Ohio State for its annual “White Out” game. That turned out to be one of the classic games in the series as Dwayne Haskins Jr. rallied Ohio State from a 12-point deficit in the final eight minutes for a 27-26 win.
“That was really one of Dwayne’s first big games, and seeing how they used him in the offense, I was like, ‘If Ohio State ever recruits me, I think that would definitely be something to consider the way they’re using Dwayne and the way they’re throwing the ball,’” McCord recalled.
Although Urban Meyer was still the head coach of the Buckeyes, that was the first season with Ryan Day coaching quarterbacks and coordinating the offense with Kevin Wilson.
That duo re-energized an offense that relied heavily on running quarterbacks in the Meyer era — and somewhat late in the Jim Tressel era, too — by re-imagining the passing game.
McCord certainly noticed even though he did not have an offer from Ohio State at that time.
“It just opened my eyes to it because I just never thought Ohio State was going to be the school I’d end up at just because of the traditional track record with Braxton and Terrelle Pryor and all that,” McCord said. “It wasn’t really a pocket passing type of offense for the quarterback. Funny enough, a few months go by and in January they offer me, and I was like, ‘Wow.’”
He accepted the offer and enrolled at Ohio State in January 2021.
Now he’s the starting quarterback for the Buckeyes as they prepare to play host to a Penn State team ranked No. 7 and boasting one of the nation’s best defenses.
“They’re a great school,” McCord said. “Obviously they have great talent at every position, well-coached, so I’ve got nothing but good things to say about Penn State.”
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