Ryan Day explains how his view of the Ohio State quarterbacks has evolved throughout career

As the search for the next Ohio State quarterback begins in earnest this spring following CJ Stroud‘s departure for the 2023 NFL Draft, coach Ryan Day‘s views on what it takes to man the position haven’t changed much.

He has a few criteria he’s seen over the years in terms of qualities that have helped guys pan out. Beyond that, he just wants someone ready to fight.

“I think the first thing is they have to be able to compete,” Day said. “They have to be high, high competitors because of what it takes to be quarterback at Ohio State. You have to be highly, highly competitive.

“I think the other things is you’re looking for some sort of extraordinary trait. When you think about the different quarterbacks that we’ve had, going back to Braxton (Miller), Cardale (Jones), JT (Barrett), Dwayne (Haskins), Justin (Fields), CJ, when Joe (Burrow) was here. They all had extraordinary traits, and I think that’s important. And then you try to emphasize those traits.”

As Kyle McCord and Devin Brown battle this spring for the right to be the next starting Ohio State quarterback, they’ll have to show Day some of those traits.

If there is one area where Ohio State’s evaluations have shifted somewhat, it’s probably centered around mobility.

“I do think the more you look at the quarterbacks who are making it in the NFL and at the highest level of college football, they can move their feet, they can create, they can extend plays,” Day said. “Just thinking about the playoffs in college, thinking about the playoffs in the NFL, I think almost all those guys could do that. I think that’s important.”

As Day evaluates the Ohio State quarterbacks, that’s something he’ll keep in mind.

But generally his evaluations haven’t shifted all that much. What works works. And if a quarterback is moving the offense up and down the field, it’s usually pretty apparent.

“I think the game is changing, but I don’t think that what you look for in a quarterback really has,” Day said. “You have to be able to do stuff with your feet. You have to be able to create a little bit in and out of the pocket. You have to at least be a threat in the run game. That has to be a part of what you do. I think it’s important to do that.

“But you also have to be able to throw the football in the pocket, on third down, in the red zone, be able to push the ball down the field on play-action pass. So I think all those things are important on the field, and then the leadership part is critical.”