As the reigning national champions gear up for a new era, the Ohio State Buckeyes find themselves in interesting territory – breaking in a new starting quarterback.
With Will Howard off to the NFL after leading Ohio State to a title, the Buckeyes are deep into spring practice trying to determine who will take the reins of one of college football’s most high-profile offenses.
Right now, it’s a three-man competition between returners Lincoln Kienholz and Julian Sayin, and freshman Tavien St. Clair.
While no frontrunner has emerged yet, head coach Ryan Day made it clear this week that the battle is very much alive – and likely to stretch into summer.
Speaking to reporters during spring practice, Day offered some insight into how the quarterback room is shaping up.
“I think it’s fair to say that Tavien probably has the longest way to go just because of just the lack of experience,” Day said. “I think it’s easy to see – you guys saw it on Saturday, the talent and his ability to run, his athleticism, the arm. He has all those things. He just needs to play more, he needs to see it more.
“The games 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-and-neck right now.”
That assessment puts Kienholz, a third-year Buckeye, and Sayin, a highly touted sophomore, in the driver’s seat for now. But with just a handful of practices left before the spring game, no one has pulled away.
With time running out in spring camp, Day acknowledged that this week could be pivotal in shaping the quarterback depth chart heading into summer.
“I mean, maybe one of these guys jumps out ahead this week and really, you know, makes some separation, which, if they do, then they do,” Day added. “But, we’ll see. We’ll kind of see where it goes.
“Friday is more of a spider’s practice. We have our high school clinic here. But then the spring game. So, somebody would have to make a significant move here on Tuesday and or Saturday to really make that move to jump ahead.”
Still, Day emphasized that the spring game shouldn’t be treated like anything more than another piece of the evaluation process – even if fans and media treat it like a showcase.
“I met with the quarterbacks and, you know, I made the comment that the only thing that was different about Saturday’s practice was the fact that, you know, we had students there and we had the media there,” Day said. “Other than that, it was just another practice.
“What it does make you realize is how important every rep is. And, that’s, you know, my job and that’s Billy Fessler and Brian Hartline’s job, is to make sure that, you know, they understand every single play matters and we’ve got to get better every day.”
The Buckeyes’ quarterback room is brimming with potential – but thin on actual game reps.
Between a third-year player who’s only seen limited action, a sophomore still learning the system, and a true freshman, the program is entering uncharted waters after years of elite, established QB play.
“This is a situation where you have Lincoln, who’s been here now for three years, and Julian, you know, just for a year, and then Tavien just showed up so all in three different points of their career but all still learning and growing,” Day continued.
“None of them really have, you know, a ton of significant playing experience. We’ll see. Yeah, we’ll see. I think that there’s been good play. There’s been mistakes made. But that’s part of growing, you know.
“Now the question is are you going to continue to make the same mistakes over and over again? That’s when, you know, we start to get nervous. But, right now, we’re still in that growth phase, that learning phase.”
While the timeline to name a starter remains open-ended, Day stressed that the coaching staff is closely monitoring the competition and that there’s still plenty of time before fall.
“It’s been, you know, three guys getting after it every day, improvement across the board. You know, there’s been good days on all fronts but then there’s been other days not so good,” Day added.
“They’re growing. They’re learning. You know, there’s nobody that’s any that much further ahead than the other one right now so they’re going to continue to compete. This is a big week for them and Saturday will be a big day for them as well, getting in front of everybody and having an opportunity to compete.”
As Ohio State continues through spring ball, one thing is clear: the Buckeyes might be inexperienced at quarterback, but the race is wide open – and full of upside.
Of course, most fans expect Sayin to win the starting job – but it’s unfair to draw any conclusions this early in the process.
When it’s all said and done, who do YOU think will be the Buckeyes starter next season? … If it is Sayin, do you think he’s truly capable of leading Ohio State to a repeat???
