Ohio State football coach, Ryan Day, has yet to decide on his starting quarterback for the opening game.
As the Ohio State Buckeyes prepare to defend their national title, the competition for the starting quarterback position is heating up. The Buckeyes have not yet officially announced who will start against Texas on August 30, but a decision is expected soon.
Coach Ryan Day has stated that the competition between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz will go right down to the wire. Both players have shown promising moments, but neither has clearly separated himself as the starter yet. Sayin is considered the slight favorite to win the job, but given how close it is, the situation remains uncertain.
The competition for the starting quarterback position is reminiscent of the 2018 Ohio State battle between Dwayne Haskins and Joe Burrow, indicating high potential but also a tough choice ahead. Ohio State wants a single quarterback starter rather than a rotation, especially against a strong opponent like Texas.
Julian Sayin, a native of Carlsbad, Calif., got into four games last season, completing 5-of-12 passes for 84 yards, including a touchdown in an early game against Western Michigan. Sayin enrolled at Alabama when Nick Saban retired, but entered the transfer portal in the spring of 2024 and wound up in Columbus.
Lincoln Kienholz played in three games in 2023, including OSU's Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri, where he struggled. Kienholz earned one of eight Iron Buckeye awards this offseason for his performance in offseason training and workouts.
Tavien St. Clair is also part of the quarterback competition, but he is considered a long shot to earn the starting role. The Buckeyes will host Texas for their season opener on August 30.
Media analysts such as ESPN’s Rece Davis view the quarterback position as wide open and with some uncertainty, which factors into concerns about how the offense will perform early in the season. Ohio State wants to have its identity by the end of this week.
Stay tuned for updates on the Buckeyes' starting quarterback for the season opener against Texas. The decision is expected to be made imminently, with a final announcement likely by the third week of August.
- Coach Ryan Day's declaration of a fierce competition between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz for the starting quarterback position echoes the 2018 Ohio State battle between Dwayne Haskins and Joe Burrow, hinting at potential brilliance but also posing a challenging decision.
- Julian Sayin, originally from Carlsbad, Calif., made an appearance in four games last season with Ohio State, registering a touchdown against Western Michigan while completing 5 out of 12 passes for 84 yards.
- Ohio State's preference is to appoint a single quarterback starter rather than to employ a rotation, especially against a tough opponent like Texas.
- Alongside Sayin and Kienholz, Tavien St. Clair is also part of the quarterback competition, but his chances of earning the starting role are viewed as slim.
- In the coming days, media analysts such as ESPN’s Rece Davis anticipate that the Buckeyes' starting quarterback will remain a subject of uncertainty, which could affect the team's offensive performance in the early stages of the season.
