Tim Tebow reveals how Kyle McCord settled into Ohio State QB role

Kyle McCord was a little shaky when he began his tenure as Ohio State’s quarterback but Tim Tebow noticed a shift.

The former Heisman Trophy winner saw McCord, who won a long offseason quarterback battle, improve steadily in Week 2 and 3. At this point, it looks like he’s fully settled in, especially ahead of a big game against Notre Dame.

Tebow broke down how McCord settled into his role as Ohio State starting quarterback.

“I think it’s when he took a deep breath going into Week 2 that he understood, ‘okay, I don’t have to score a touchdown on every single pass, on every single play,’” Tebow said Saturday on SportsCenter. “Just because we dial up a shot doesn’t mean you have to take a shot. I can check it down. I got a lot of big time playmakers and so I think he just kind of took a deep breath after Week 1, he understood you’re the quarterback Ohio State.” 

Kyle McCord settled in as Ohio State QB

Being the Ohio State quarterback comes with a lot. As in, a lot of pressure based on past performances.

Plus, the Buckeyes have College Football Playoff and national title aspirations.

“Yes, there’s gonna be pressure but I don’t have to necessarily quiet in the crowd, every single play and going into week two, he also got it to the best player in the country and that’s Marvin Harrison Jr,” Tebow said.

“286 yards, three touchdowns the last couple of weeks, that guy helps you take a deep breath and he helps you look a lot better than sometimes we are as quarterbacks when you got a receiver like that. 

“I think Kyle McCord is just fine. He needs to play a little bit, get a little bit more experience and he has and he’s getting better every single week.”

This season, McCord is 53-of-76 passing (69.7%) for 815 yards, six touchdowns and one interception.

“I think it does help when you have the understanding of kind of how the game is gonna go, that you’re going to be getting all the reps, you’re going with the ones, and you really don’t have to try to think about what’s gonna happen if you don’t put together a drive or anything like that,” McCord said of the QB1 title.

“This week, I kind of used that confidence boost a little bit. Just trusted my rules, trusted my reads, trusted my eyes and I think good things happen.”