Five Qbs played in the blowout against Western Michigan for the Buckeyes

Ohio State showcased their impressive quarterback depth in their dominant 56-0 victory over Western Michigan this past weekend. The Buckeyes rotated through five quarterbacks during the game, including walk-on Mason Maggs, who made a memorable appearance by lining up at running back and earning his first career carry.

The game was a showcase of the Ohio State football team's depth and talent at the quarterback position. Starting quarterback Will Howard set the tone early, completing his first 10 passes of the game. He ended up 18-of-26 for 292 yards and a touchdown and also recorded his first rushing touchdown as a Buckeye.

In the third quarter, Devin Brown took over. After a somewhat underwhelming performance in the opener against Akron, Brown was flawless against Western Michigan, going 5-for-5. He led two scoring drives, with the first one covering 81 yards and culminating in a touchdown run by true freshman James Peoples. Brown also made a standout play with a 27-yard completion to sophomore wide receiver Brandon Inniss, delivering a precise pass while rolling to his left.

Julian Sayin, a five-star recruit and former Elite 11 finalist, also had a chance to shine. He completed both of his pass attempts, one of which was a six-yard completion to tight end Patrick Gurd and the other a 55-yard touchdown pass to Bennett Christian. Sayin’s accuracy and timing were evident as he found Christian wide open for a smooth run to the end zone.

Redshirt freshman Lincoln Kienholz wrapped up the game with the final Ohio State drive. Although he did not attempt a pass during the drive, which covered 40 yards and ended with a kneeldown, his presence on the field rounded out the Buckeyes' quarterback performance.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day expressed satisfaction with the quarterback play postgame. He praised Devin Brown for his performance, noting his effective play-action pass and smart decision-making. Day also mentioned his desire to get more reps for Sayin and Kienholz, acknowledging the challenge of distributing playing time among multiple quarterbacks. He emphasized the team’s supportive atmosphere and the positive way the players cheered each other on.

As it stands, Ohio State has five scholarship quarterbacks on its 2024 roster. The only one who didn’t see action against Western Michigan was true freshman Air Noland, who is ranked as the No. 5 quarterback in the 2024 class by the On3 Industry Rankings.