Doubts were confirmed, not dispelled—at least not for a particularly vocal segment of the fan base.

McCord came that close to writing a chapter that would establish him as the savior of The Game — conqueror of a suspect rival and interrupter of the first losing streak against Michigan in a generation. Instead, he became the face of the first aborted quarterback process of coach Ryan Day’s tenure. Since McCord ultimately pulled the plug — sources said he was not encouraged to leave, and OSU expected him back for 2024 — he may absorb more than his share of the blame from public opinion.

Not fair. Day owns his first failed quarterback project. He recruited McCord, took his commitment over that of other prospects, coached him for three years and named him the starter. McCord represented, from top to bottom, the first conventional recruitment and development process of Day’s tenure.

Day earned some benefit of the doubt with one record-shattering season with Dwayne Haskins, providing an obvious soft landing spot for Justin Fields’ transfer and catching late-blooming lightning in a bottle with C.J. Stroud. Day’s influence in the performance of those quarterbacks cannot be ignored.

Neither can how badly the McCord episode unfolded, down to its conclusion.

Asked to assess his quarterback’s play immediately after The Game, Day focused on turnovers and the loss. By the time he spoke at a Selection Sunday press conference, the response remained the same. With candor McCord likely found unsettling, Day could not answer whether the quarterback would operate as the starter against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl.

That provided important context when McCord’s departure decision went public the next morning.