Kyle McCord Transferred to Syracuse Because of the Talent and Coaches

The Gist:

• Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord has transferred to Syracuse for his final year of eligibility, citing the coaching staff and the roster of talent that new coach Fran Brown has been able to assemble.
• Kyle is familiar with several members of the coaching staff because he is a native of New Jersey, and plans to make the most of his final year of college football.

After several successful seasons with Ohio State, quarterback Kyle McCord announced that he would be entering the transfer portal and transferring to Syracuse. The news was a major coup for Syracuse, as Kyle became the highest-ranked player in his class to commit to Syracuse since at least 2006.

Following the news that Kyle would be transferring to Syracuse, many wanted to better understand why he made the decision. He's leaving Ohio State behind after what had been a remarkably successful career there. Kyle is thinking about his future in the NFL.

Kyle went 12-1 during his three-year career at Ohio State, including an 11-1 record there this year. He only has one year of eligibility remaining, and he decided to spend that year at Syracuse. Kyle cited the collection of talent that head coach Fran Brown is gathering as the main factor in his decision.

In addition to the talent, though, Kyle is also familiar with many of the members of Syracuse's coaching staff.

"I think the experience on the coaching staff is extremely important," Kyle said during an interview with ESPN. "It was a big factor in my decision. Just being at a place where I can be surrounded with good players. They've done some good things on the portal trail, bringing in some guys from Georgia and other places. All of that, when you combine it, makes it an appealing destination."

Kyle grew up in New Jersey, and has known Fran and quarterbacks coach Nunzio Campanile for over a decade. Jeff Nixon, who is expected to join the staff as the offensive coordinator, is also someone Kyle has a prior relationship with.

Above all else, though, Kyle has said that he has faith in Fran, who has already done some impressive work to bring in talent through the transfer portal.

"What Coach Fran has been able to do in the last few weeks since becoming head coach, it speaks volumes," Kyle said. "I think the pieces are all coming together at the right time."

Kyle also said that he plans to devote the upcoming season to preparing as much as possible for the NFL. He'll have to enter the draft following next season.

"I have one more chance to go out and really commit myself, and going through the process, I was looking at schools where I'd have a chance of winning right away," he said. "And with the pieces going there, I'll definitely have that option."

In addition to the coaching staff, Kyle also has some familiarity with the roster at Syracuse, which includes several defensive players who he knows from New Jersey.