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Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud separates from the team’s quarterback competition, although no decision on starting position has yet been made, coach Ryan Day said on Monday .
Stroud, a red shirt freshman, competed with red shirt freshman Jack Miller and real freshman Kyle McCord during training camp. Quinn Ewers, an announced 2022 quarterback rookie who recently upgraded, joined the squad for preseason training on Monday. Day praised the development of all Ohio State quarterbacks and said depth draw decisions will be made closer to Ohio State’s season opener on Sept. 2 in Minnesota. But Stroud will get more shots with the first team’s offense in training this week.
Ohio State is looking to replace Justin Fields, an NFL first-round pick in April.
“I don’t know how separated he is, I’m not sure, but every day he competed, he took care of football, made good decisions, he was a leader,” said Day on Stroud. “These are all some of the traits we were looking for. Getting the team up onto the pitch to score touchdowns is definitely something we were looking for.”
Day said the quarterbacks “understand that no decision has been made yet, but this is where it’s happening.” Competition will continue for the next week in camp, including perhaps who would be the No.2 quarterback behind Stroud.
“It’s a long season, that’s what I think all of these guys understand and will continue to understand,” Day said. “We’re talking about going through January, so my experience is that we’ll need everyone. One thing’s for sure: there will be a starter for that opener against Minnesota, and at that point we will see where it goes. “
The 6-foot-3, 218-pound Stroud, native of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Played three games last season and scored a 48-yard touchdown against Michigan State. Stroud had 185 yards and two touchdowns in the Ohio State Spring Game.
Day said Stroud’s work over the past few weeks of training has given him the edge. ESPN ranked Stroud as the No. 2 pocket passer and the No. 104 overall player in the 2020 recruiting class.
Ewers’ decision to reclassify and enroll in Ohio State is driven by the name, image and likeness opportunities offered to college athletes, which he could not have if he stayed for his final year at Southlake Carroll High School in Texas. Day, who revealed that he first offered Ewers a scholarship when Ewers was in eighth grade, said Ewers’ earlier than expected arrival was a “unique situation”.
“It’s brand new to everyone,” Day said. “I know it was hard for him to leave his high school teammates. I know it was very, very hard for him to say goodbye to his high school coach. They were very, very close. one of those things, we’ve got to start embracing different situations like this, and I know our guys are going to do the same.
“He will do a good job to find his way, to earn the respect of the team.”
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