Expectations for Syracuse Quarterback Kyle McCord | Syracuse Orange Podcast

all right Neil thank you so much for joining the podcast today uh let's just start off right away with Kyle McCord and what are your expectations from mord this season well thanks for having me on Jackson as always I really appreciate you brother um I expect him to lead them to the cfp and win the Heisman that's my expectations for this SE I mean you know right off the bat you're jumping off with fire here why sugarcoat it I think that I'm just really fascinated by this upcoming season season obviously the the excitement the hype built around Fran Brown and his staff the recruiting uh both at the high school level in 2024 25 Etc and then obviously out the transfer portal with Kyle McCord and and other really strong players I think Kyle mccor he was solid at Ohio State uh you know I'm sure Ohio Buckey fans might have things to say good or bad about them but last time I checked they were 11- one last year they uh and the regular season when he was there with their only loss to the eventual National Champion Michigan um and I think he threw for like over 3,000 yards 24 tou 24 touchdowns six intercept I mean that's solid um did they expect more in Columbus you know that's for them to talk about uh I think that Kyle is going to fit right in well um he's from New Jersey he's known multiple Syracuse coaches since he was a kid and I think he's coming in he's going to lead the team obviously uh I think the offense can be really good this year because it's going to be much better balance than last year or even other recent Seasons given Kyle as the signal caller plus all their weapons at tight end and wide receiver and then a nice running back room so if the knock on wood if the offensive line holds up I I think they could be a a solid strong offensive team so is Kyle going to be you know on the all ACC first team I don't know there's a lot of good quarterbacks in the ACC but he's this is no disrespect to Garrett Trader because he was also injured for a lot of last year but this is certainly an upgrade you know again assuming Kyle remains injuryf free and I think he's gonna have a good year I agree with you I think the difference between McCord and shider just by the brief amount that we've watched of McCord especially in a Syracuse uniform I'm really only going to take the spring game sure it's the zip on the ball yeah it's the zip like I don't really know else to describe it other than it just it looks s significantly different I used to say with Garrett Sher when he throws the ball it looks like he's really putting a lot of effort into it and the ball comes out and it looks like a lollipop it almost looks like it's like rainbowing out of him he was pretty good but he clearly had his limitations especially because he's a converted wide receiver sure he was wide receiver Kyle McCord was a five-star High School Prospect Maybe he didn't live up to the crazy expectations that you're going to have at Ohio State right the three quarterbacks that came before him were all firstr NFL draft picks sure but yeah he was a a top 10 quarterback in the country on quarterback rating top 10 in the country and I get he had weapons and all of that but we're gonna find out this season with their new quarterback just how good or can anyone go into the Ohio State offense and play decent ball right right yeah and and you're right about trader and I I really liked him as just as as a football player he's tough he was going through injuries definitely not as skilled quote unquote uh in terms of a pocket passer as Kyle McCord but he could run the ball and he just gave it his all so you know hats off to him and I really love loved him from that standpoint but you're right about Kyle he can sling it I mean he really can so if he's if he's jelling with these uh this receiver room whether it's Gatson and delari and Jamie Rumble a tight end and all the the wide rece traditional wide receivers both you know returnees and and and transfers and um you know High School um commits they they've got a lot of weapons they really do and so if they're all jelling and the offense is jelling on the rest of the staff um I think they can be really good are they going to be the best offense in the ACC I don't know who knows I I saw a recent rating out there that had him in like the way bottom half and I was like I I don't know about that I I think going to have a pretty good offense I I you know I always acknowledge my homerism I went to Syracuse obviously right you know lead a fan site and all that but you know I'm not afraid to call it like I see it as well and the Syracuse offense last year was just had a rough go especially after Sher got injured you know valari doing the Wildcat and all that and they were really limited L Quinn Allen had a good year but but this year again uh knock on wood um you know stay away from injuries they have I think really solid depth I think they have really solid depth across the board in most position groups but again between Kyle and then the receiver room and the running backs I think this could be a really fun year and I think I think he could you know he was a like you said he was a five-star recruit coming out of I think it was St Joe's Prep in Philly um you know he was a fourstar you know highly rated Prospect in the transfer portal a lot you know some national pundants were like why did he go to Syracuse you know that's a step down and all that and you know that's fine those are Optics but sorry cut you off schools going to be a step down from Ohio State how many schools are are a better standing than Ohio State you might be able to you can only really count it on your palm Georgia Georgia well they're set at Georgia yeah Alabama is set sure Oregon's gonna be really good this year you know you've got you m Michigan like you're not gonna go from Ohio State Michigan you can't do that I I I think the thing it was just so fascinating after he he transferred to Syracuse and all the pundit saying stuff some was positive some was negative nonsense I mean I get it Syracuse obviously you know has an historical brand but in recent Seasons under Dino babers no disrespect I think he's a really nice guy but you know they went to a couple bowls but they were not nationally relevant and they weren't really that all that relevant since joining the ACC and even in the last two years they went to two bowl games fine but they started off six and0 and then 4 and0 but they ended up 13 and 13 combined so there for for a guy like Kyle to transfer from Ohio State to Syracuse maybe leaves some people scratching their heads but again you got to dig deeper and look at the context Fran Brown and multiple assistants are from New Jersey the Philadelphia area they've known him since he was a kid that kind of connection that speaks volume so I get it Ohio state is up here and Syracuse is certainly not anywhere near that but who knows where Fran Brown's going to lead the orange and I just I I think it could be a really good fit given those long-standing relationships and given the the targets that um mcord is going to have to throw to between receivers tight ends and uh running backs out of the back field he definitely has the upside to be an all ACC quarterback I did see online out there they released the the preseason all ACC team keep in mind well mcord didn't make it but keep in mind they only took one quarterback and it was only the first team that they released that was it so I I think cam Ward from Miami made it camard cam Ward was the fourth ranked transfer quarterback in the country McCord was down at 14th right and cam Ward was a top 15 overall transfer in the country so I I completely understood it and it's one of those things where I think McCord has the upside to being a first teamer I certainly think he could be on the first second or third team at the end of the season but you know for now preseason first team I'm not so sure but I do have high hopes for Kyle mcord this season all right Neil let's talk about the backup quarterbacks sure because we have kind of alluded to it that if mcord stays healthy with those weapons around him actually on yesterday's podcast I talked about L quen Allen and will Nixon and and and yine Willis the the true freshman and they got some dudes they got some we the offensive line maybe is a work in progress but we'll see how it all shapes out over the course of training camp