The Ohio State football program will have a new quarterback to help them defend their national championship. Will Howard helped the Buckeyes win their first national title in a decade in the first year of the 12-team College Football Playoff, going on the most impressive four-game run in college football history.
Howard may not have been the most physically talented quarterback the Buckeyes have had in recent years, but he was perfect for what the 2024 team needed. Winning the national championship will make him a legend forever in Columbus, and Ohio in general.
Now, the Ohio State Buckeyes need to find a new quarterback for this season to defend their national title. It will likely be Julian Sayin, but Lincoln Kienholz is still in the running for the job. Whoever wins the job in the Fall will have massive shoes to fill.
Whoever wins the Ohio State football team's starting QB job will have big shoes to fill
Sayin is the favorite to win the job, and he is the most physically talented quarterback the Buckeyes have had since C.J. Stroud. He was a five-star recruit out of high school for a reason, and Ohio State will likely turn to him to lead the team for at least the next couple of seasons.
There's a good chance that Sayin ends up putting up bigger numbers than what Howard did last season in Brian Hartline's offensive system. Even if he does, he will be judged on how many games he helps the team win. Anything less than winning a national championship will put him short of Howard.
Is that fair for him? No, it's not. But Sayin didn't come to Ohio State for fair. He came to Ohio State to develop into a first-round draft pick and win as many games as possible. Ohio State is confident he can do that.