5 potential transfer destinations for Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud
C.J. Stroud won’t play for Ohio State vs. Akron and there’s a chance the Buckeyes quarterback could be entering the transfer portal if he doesn’t get the job back.
Before the season even started, C.J. Stroud was on the shortlist for Heisman Trophy candidates. Now, he may have lost his starting quarterback job at Ohio State before the month of September even ends.
Stroud has been up-and-down in the first three games as the starting quarterback at Ohio State. He overcame a slow start to lead a comeback win vs. Minnesota in the opener. Then, he threw for nearly 500 yards in a home loss to Oregon before taking a backseat to the running game in the Week 3 win vs. Tulsa.
Stroud won’t start vs. Akron in Week 4 and may not even play at all as he nurses a shoulder injury. Kyle McCord will get the start for the Buckeyes and it may be the first of many for the former five-star recruit.
McCord lost the quarterback competition in the summer but he may not give it back with a strong performance vs. Akron and a good week of practice leading into Big Ten play.
Ohio State fans have high expectations, as they should, but if McCord excels in his audition vs. Akron, head coach Ryan Day may have a hard time putting Stroud back under center.
That all could lead to Stroud seeking a transfer.
Where could C.J. Stroud transfer if he leaves Ohio State?
5. C.J. Stroud potential transfer destinations: Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia has been a home for transfers like JT Daniels and Jamie Newman in recent years. Kirby Smart and Georgia football hosted Stroud on one of his official visits when he was coming out of high school. There was interest then, but could there be mutual interest now? The latter is much harder to discern considering the Bulldogs have former five-star recruit, Brock Vandagriff, on the roster. He is expected to be the quarterback of the future for the Dawgs so it’s unlikely Stroud will want to put himself in a competition where he’s the underdog.
4. C.J. Stroud potential transfer destinations: Michigan Wolverines
A player transferring from Ohio State to Michigan or vice versa just isn’t going to happen, right? Michigan received an official visit from Stroud before he decided to go to rival Ohio State. Michigan clearly liked what Stroud presented as a high-profile recruit and Jim Harbaugh was intrigued by his ability and potential then. What makes this unlikely is the presence of five-star freshman J.J. McCarthy at Michigan. He’s the future for Michigan so much like the case at Georgia, it makes it unlikely Stroud would entertain Michigan and vice versa.