ARLINGTON, Texas – Even Devin Brown's family wondered why he seemed so calm.

It's probably because in a year with plenty of setbacks, Brown now has his big opportunity, and the redshirt freshman is determined to seize it. Following Kyle McCord's transfer, Brown will start at quarterback for Ohio State in Friday's Cotton Bowl against Missouri.

Brown can't discount being nervous when the game starts, but the butterflies haven't kicked in yet. Brown was especially even-keeled when he went home to Arizona for three days to see relatives before Christmas.

“I'm just so pumped to get out there,” Brown said. “Even my family has asked me, 'How are you not nervous?' I'm like, 'Nah, I really don't feel anything.' I've been playing tackle football since I was 7 years old. It's just in (front of) a bigger crowd. That's really it. It's the same game.”

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But so much is riding on it for Brown and Ohio State. If he plays well and the Buckeyes win, he'll be the strong favorite to be the starter next year. If he struggles, all bets are off.

He and his teammates and coaches have confidence Brown will rise to the challenge.

“I think the first thing you notice is his command of the huddle and his command of the offense,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “I think he's done a nice job of that. He has a charisma about him that I think the guys appreciate.

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“He's got a chance to extend plays with his feet. He's got a strong arm. He's very intelligent. He has a lot of skills, a lot of traits that you look for in a quarterback. Now he's just got to go play the game.”

Brown has waited two years for this chance. He battled McCord for the job all offseason, a competition paused for several weeks because Brown broke his pinkie on his throwing hand the final week of spring practice.

Day began to use Brown midseason as a red-zone quarterback because of his ability to run. Then Brown sprained his ankle on a goal-line run against Penn State and later aggravated it in pregame warmups against Michigan State.

His right ankle has been taped over his cleats in practice this week. Brown said that's strictly a precaution and that it's fine.

He said he has improved markedly since the summer when he and McCord battled. Brown might have won the job if not for a couple of bad practices at the end of training camp.

Interceptions were an issue in high school, but Brown said he has been much more careful with the ball during bowl practices.

“(I'm) a lot better,” he said. “I think this whole month has been really good for me. I really have felt like I've improved, and my game has changed.

“Not being the starter, you don't get all the reps that you'd like to, especially with the (starters) and get that rhythm and connection with the guys that you'd like to, so having this whole month has been really good for me.”

His teammates are eager to see Brown take command in a game.

“He has a charisma, a confidence to him that he's exuded even throughout the process when he and Kyle were battling,” senior receiver Xavier Johnson said. “(He) was a pro the whole time. He didn't hang his head. He didn't jump into the portal or do something like that.

“He stuck around the team and every day he was in Kyle's ear trying to figure out exactly what Kyle was seeing and just being a grown man about his business. To see that as an older guy allows me to be confident in the player that Devin is and the personality that we're gonna have leading us on offense.”

Even Ohio State's defensive players have been impressed by Brown.

“I'm really proud of Devin,” cornerback Denzel Burke said. “There are a lot of things I was not expecting that he showed me. He's really bringing the team together – a lot of leadership tactics and a lot of things we didn't see (before). I'm really excited to see what he can do.”

This year has been a rollercoaster for Brown. Nobody could have foreseen the path it took to reach Friday night.

“College football is wild,” he said. “You cannot predict anything, that's for sure. But I'm just super excited, and I can't wait.”

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Devin Brown 'so pumped' for chance to start at QB for Ohio State