What Devin Brown has shown Ryan Day as Ohio State football’s unquestioned QB1 for Cotton Bowl

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Back in August, Ohio State football coach Ryan Day saw flashes from Devin Brown but not enough consistency to name him the starting quarterback.

Now, Brown’s starting status for the Cotton Bowl faces no challenges. When starting quarterback Kyle McCord entered the transfer portal, he essentially handed the job to the guy he beat out at the start of the season.

Day suggested true freshman Lincoln Kienholz’s involvement against Missouri on Dec. 29 might be limited to mop-up duty, if necessary. Brown’s big opportunity will include the full share of the starter’s reps.

“This is going to be Devin’s game to play,” Day said Wednesday.

Day on multiple occasions Wednesday reiterated what he said last week — that Brown’s upcoming start in the Cotton Bowl as a “great opportunity” to establish himself as the front-runner to be the 2024 starter.

Brown said last week he believed his consistency improved over the course of the season. He said he planned to use this month as a “coming out party.” Teammates said they saw some of that playmaking potential in the first bowl practices.

Careful not to ramp up expectations ahead of Brown’s first start — which will come against a 10-win, top-10 opponent from the SEC — Day acknowledged encouraging signs thus far.

“We’ll wait to get into the game to kind of see it all,” Day said. “But I think it’s just the experience of getting more and more reps under your belt.

“Also, when you’re with the ones and you’re with the starters all the time, I think you can play maybe a little bit more freely and not worry about making a mistake. So that’s been good to see.”

Day chose McCord over Brown after an extended nine-month quarterback competition which extended through the start of the season. Brown led the battle at one point in preseason camp. Day, though, ultimately picked McCord because of his steadiness and consistency.

Brown threw a pass in four of the five games in which he played. He completed 12 of 22 for 197 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He also rushed for 35 yards and a touchdown. He utilized that mobility in a specialized goal-line package in the middle of the season before he suffered an ankle injury while running it.

Brown’s compelling potential has centered around whether he can marry those talents. Can he provide the consistency Day wants with the off-platform playmaking ability the offense probably needs?

Thus far, Ohio State has not been linked to any visits from transfer portal quarterbacks.

“Devin was real close, though, going into the season,” Day said. “So this is going to be an awesome opportunity for him to take it and run.”

That may apply both literally and figuratively.