Kyle McCord is playing his first season as Ohio State’s starting quarterback under Ryan Day. The former 5-star prospect has produced some mixed results so far but maintains a high ceiling with the offense.

In a conversation for FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff, McCord was recently asked about the impact of former Buckeye CJ Stroud. Stroud starred for the program before launching into the NFL as the No. 2 overall pick for the Houston Texans.

McCord said Stroud was a great leader for him early in his career and noted the former Buckeye talked to him after the win over Notre Dame.

“CJ was great, like an older brother almost. There wasn’t anything on or off the field that I couldn’t ask him about,” said McCord. “Just kind of pick his brain, so he’s been a great resource for me and a great friend. He was hype (after the Notre Dame win).”

McCord was also asked about Ryan Day’s fiery speech after the Notre Dame win, something McCord said he and the Buckeyes loved to see.

“I loved it. There’s not a guy in the locker that didn’t support what he was saying,” McCord explained. “I was standing right next to him as he was doing the interview and was like ‘Oh gosh, this is gonna blow up.’ Just to see that emotion come out, I think just showed his love and passion for us.”

Right now, McCord and the Buckeyes are locked in a dogfight against Maryland, so we’ll see how the QB responds after a 2-for-7 start to the game.