Ryan Day: Ohio State Has Learned from Last Season's QB Situation

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day wants this season's quarterback battle to end before the opening game.

Nov 18, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord (6) looks at a replay / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA

Say what you will about Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day, but the man learns from his mistakes.

During a radio appearance on Wednesday, Day was asked about the Buckeyes' battle to find a starting quarterback. Day said he does not want the search to carry into the season like it did last year, regardless of the winner.

Mar 20, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterbacks Will Howard and Devin Brown take / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA

"The way that it turned out last year, it kind of went into the first couple of games of the season," Day said. "That’s not ideal. I wouldn’t like to do that again this year. But it will come down to playing the best players. We don’t have time to not play the best players, so they’ll be in competitive situations. May the best man win."

Day took two starting quarterbacks into the first few weeks of the 2023 campaign: junior Kyle McCord and then-sophomore Devin Brown. This decision proved not ideal for the Buckeyes, as neither Brown nor McCord played with much confidence during that period.

Now entering his sixth year as head coach of the Buckeyes, Day knows how important the quarterback position will be to the success of his team. Every other unit will have to perform as well, but the signal-caller is where that all begins.

"It will be a huge part of our season – the quarterback play and how well the quarterback plays," Day said. "We know that. We know how important the offensive line play will be. We know how important the quarterback play will be. We’re not shying away from that. The defense will be strong, and how well they play late in the season will be critical, but it always comes down to the quarterback."