COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio State sophomore quarterback Kyle McCord came to Columbus last season and immediately competed for the starting job after Justin Fields’ departure.

Ultimately, C.J. Stroud was named the Buckeyes’ quarterback but McCord beat out redshirt freshman Jack Miller III and was trusted to start in OSU’s fourth game against Akron, which the Buckeyes won 59-7.

There’s been plenty of outside talk of whether McCord would leave because the five-star dual-threat quarterback could start for just about any team in the country. But the Philadelphia native said he was never tempted to leave Ohio State.

“I think it’s definitely a marathon, not a spring. Looking at it from a bigger picture I think coming here you realize how well you’re coached,” McCord said. “I know a lot of people thought I could’ve left and went somewhere else and tried to start this year, but in the long term I thought it was the best decision for me to stay here and continue to get developed.”

Meanwhile, Miller transferred to Florida after the season while highly-touted Quinn Ewers left for Texas after less than five months in Columbus.

“I’m still close with Jack and Quinn. We talk about it just the talent in that room last year was unbelievable and I think people are going to look back on that room in five-ten years and be like ‘Wow,'” McCord said. “We had four really special guys and so it definitely is crazy just the way everything played out.”