He was born at the hospital at Ohio State, his father played at Ohio State, his uncle has been a coach for the Buckeyes and his cousin won a national title at Ohio State.
Those are some of the ties that quickly convinced former Kentucky quarterback Gunnar Hoak that transferring home to Ohio State as a graduate transfer was the right move for him.
Hoak, a three-star prospect from Dublin, Ohio, announced last week he was transferring since returning starter Terry Wilson has two years of eligibility just like he does. He put his name into the transfer portal but Kentucky coach Mark Stoops quickly noted it was not a done deal and he hoped Hoak would stay at UK. He played in four games last season and threw for 167 yards and two scores by completing 13 of 26 passes.
New Ohio State coach Ryan Day has already added highly touted transfer Justin Fields of of Georgia, who is expected to be Ohio State’s starting quarterback. However, with two years of eligibility, Hoak will provide the Buckeyes a veteran backup in case Fields is injured during the Buckeye’s national championship hunt.
Hoak posted on social media that “some aspect of my life has always involved scarlet and gray” and talked about listening to his father’s stories about Ohio State coach Earl Bruce.
“While I have gained so much during my time in Lexington, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to continue a family legacy,” Gunnar Hoak posted.
He said he would like to “sincerely” thank UK coach Mark Stoops, offensive coordinator Eddie Gran and quarterback coach Darin Hinshaw for giving him a “chance to be part of the Big Blue Nation” as well as earn his degree.
“To my teammates and the fans, I’ll never forget the rush of coming out of the tunnel each week and being a part of taking the program to new heights. I wish Kentucky nothing but the best!” Hoak posted.
“To my parents, my girlfriend and my family, thank you for always supporting me no matter the circumstances.
“This weekend, I’m looking forward to walking across the stage at graduation to get my degree and then … I’m coming home! #GoBucks #ColumbusBound.”
