Big Ten Daily (Dec. 18): Syracuse Lands Former Ohio State QB Kyle McCord

Former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord made an interesting transfer decision, committing to play at Syracuse. He explains why he picked the Orange over other offers.

Kyle McCord intends to continue his college football career a little closer to home. The former Ohio State quarterback and New Jersey native announced his transfer destination on Sunday, committing to play at Syracuse.

It was an interesting decision by McCord — one of the top quarterbacks available in this year's transfer market. But the former Buckeye said Fran Brown's hiring at Syracuse was an important factor in his decision.

“I think the experience on the coaching staff is extremely important,” McCord told ESPN. “It was a big factor in my decision. Just being at a place where I can be surrounded with good players. They’ve done some good things on the portal trail, bringing in some guys from Georgia and other places. All of that, when you combine it, makes it an appealing destination.” 

Syracuse isn't exactly the hottest landing spot in football, especially for a quarterback with the skill and experience of McCord. The Orange has posted a record of .500 or better just four times since 2013 and finished in the top-25 just once since 2001.

McCord went 11-1 as the starter for the Buckeyes last season, throwing for 3,170 yards with 24 touchdowns and only six interceptions. It's a huge addition for Syracuse and the first major win of Brown's career with the Orange.

“What Coach Fran has been able to do in the last few weeks since becoming head coach, it speaks volumes,” McCord said. “I think the pieces are all coming together at the right time.”

Tom Allen to Penn State

Speaking of big additions, how about James Franklin bringing in former Indiana coach Tom Allen to be Penn State's next defensive coordinator? It's a quality pick-up for the Nittany Lions after losing Manny Diaz to Duke.

Although Allen's time in Bloomington ended with three straight losing seasons, he brings a lot of experience to the job in State College. He was the leader of the Hoosiers for seven seasons, and was also the defensive coordinator at USF (2015) and a defensive assistant at Ole Miss (2012-14) prior to his time at Indiana.

Over the course of his career, Allen has put a heavy emphasis on takeaways. That philosophy fits in nicely with Penn State's defensive approach. The Nittany Lions led the Big Ten with 24 forced turnovers in 2023.

The biggest question about this hire? Personality. Allen doesn't hide his enthusiasm or excitement on the sideline. Typically, Franklin's assistants have been relatively mild-mannered.

It's a change of pace in Happy Valley, but this was an awfully nice addition to Franklin's staff heading into 2024.

Nebraska Picks Up Big Road Win

Let's close out today's Daily with an observation from the hardwood, shall we? After back-to-back losses to Creighton and Minnesota, Nebraska has picked up two significant victories to add to the resumé. 

The Huskers followed up a 77-70 win over Michigan State last weekend with an impressive 62-46 road win over Kansas State on Sunday. The win bumped Fred Hoiberg's squad up to 9-2 on the year.

Rienk Mast and Juwan Gary both posted double-doubles, combining for 32 points and 30 rebounds in the victory. Nebraska dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Wildcats 52-31, including a 19-10 advantage on the offensive glass.

Finding a way to beat a quality opponent on the road — especially when shooting below 35% from the field — is an impressive feat for the Huskers. 

Hoiberg was impressed with how well the defense held up.

“I thought the defensive pressure that we had in the second and really sticking to our principles and following the game plan were really important when you are guarding really good guards like Kansas State has,” he said. “When you defend like that at that high of a level when your shots aren’t falling, that is a great sign."

Nebraska has two games remaining in non-conference play — home contests against North Dakota and South Carolina State. Assuming the Huskers pick up wins in both games, they'll own an 11-2 record entering Big Ten play.

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• INDIANA FALLS SHORT VS. KANSAS: The Hoosiers had their chances, but fell short in Saturday's game against the second-ranked Jayhawks at Assembly Hall. CLICK HERE
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