Ryan Day’s admission on where the Ohio State quarterback battle stands could raise some worries even if it is still just spring
A quarterback battle is taking place for the Ohio State Buckeyes for a third straight offseason.
Following the National Championship and Will Howard’s exit, the Buckeyes are in search of their next starter behind center.
The expectation is that former five-star recruit and Elite 11 winner Julian Sayin will be the 2025 starter, but that isn’t a sure thing.
Head coach Ryan Day broke down where the QB battle stood just a few days away from the spring game and things are close at the top.
“I think it’s fair to say that Tavien [St. Clair] probably has the longest way to go just because of just the lack of experience,” Day said of the freshman. “I think it’s easy to see, you guys saw it on Saturday, the talent and his ability to run [with] his athleticism, and the arm. He has all those things. He just needs to play more. He needs to see it more. The game is just moving really fast for him right now but he’s picking it up, he’s getting it every day.”
So, I’d say he probably has the farthest way to go and then Lincoln and Julian are, you know, pretty much neck-in-neck right now.”
Junior QB Lincoln Kienholz is indeed pushing for the starting job and is right there with Sayin. The former No. 1 quarterback in the class of 2024 isn’t running away with the job and that raises some questions. Of course, it is still just the spring and there are months to go until the fall, when things matter the most.
Sayin has been in the program a year less than Kienholz and that bodes well for the junior QB. Still, the talent of Sayin should have been able to at least create some kind of separation this season. That hasn’t happened yet and Kienholz is said to look like the better QB at times this spring.
Ohio State has consistently had high-level quarterback okay under Day and this doesn’t mean that is going away. Sayin could come out Saturday in the spring game and look the part. He could also have a big summer and come in the fall and command control of the job.
Back in the winter, it was a fair question to wonder if Kienholz would transfer after the spring. Now; he’s firmly in the mix for the job. Ohio State is going to put the QB out there who gives them the best chance to beat Texas in Week 1. It would be a surprise if it wasn’t Sayin and that’s why it is okay to be a tad worried with there being no separation made this spring.
