Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord found himself in the crosshairs of social media criticism following his performance in the season opener against Indiana last Saturday.
McCord, who was thrust into the starting role after the departure of star quarterback C.J. Stroud, finished the game with 239 passing yards and an interception, but left a little to be desired.
During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” ESPN college football lead analyst (and former Buckeye quarterback) Kirk Herbstreit didn’t mince words when addressing the backlash against McCord.
He took aim at what he referred to as the “psychotic” segment of Ohio State’s fanbase, who had been scrutinizing McCord after just one start.
“There’s a standard, and then there’s a psychotic standard,” Herbstreit said. “I’d say the 15% that represent Ohio State on social media fall under that category of psychotic. They are out of their minds. What they do is they make high school players not want to play for their program because they’re such jackasses. They drive me crazy with everything they do.”
Kirk Herbstreit spits some truth on Ohio State fans on social media 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QvjoYbfuzy
— MGo🫘 (@MJoeBean) September 5, 2023
In other words, Herbie acknowledges that 85% of Ohio State’s fan base is sane and reasonable – but that 15% is the loudest and gives the Buckeye State a bad name.
After criticizing the more extreme fans, Herbstreit emphasized the importance of patience in McCord’s development as a quarterback.
“Kyle McCord is trying to learn how to play the position. Kyle McCord’s not going to be where C.J. Stroud was at the end of his career, where he went on to play with the Houston Texans as a top-five pick in the draft. He needs time, right?”
“Let’s give him that time. They opened up on the road against a Big Ten team that’s not bad. Ryan Day knows what he’s doing.”
McCord’s situation is undoubtedly challenging as he steps into the shoes of Stroud, who had a highly productive career at Ohio State. Nonetheless, Herbstreit’s call for patience highlights the inherent challenges of replacing a standout player like Stroud.
It’s important to keep in mind that it’s not like McCord was overwhelmed last week. If anything, the offense was relatively dummied down as they eased into the season and relied on their dominant defensive effort.
Day will continue to evaluate both McCord and fellow quarterback Devin Brown.
The Buckeyes will take on Youngstown State tomorrow at Ohio Stadium where McCord and company will look to take another step forward in their development.
What do you think of McCord?
Do you think Brown has a higher upside?
Is Ohio State a legitimate national championship contender this season?