Ohio State Buckeyes football coach Ryan Day keeps producing NFL quarterbacks, year after year. Of course, that means he also has to replace them every offseason.
Ahead of the 2025 season, OSU has two feasible options under center.
Julian Sayin, the second-year five-star who spurned the Alabama Crimson Tide for the Buckeyes after Nick Saban's retirement in January 2024, is the current favorite to win the job. Sayin hasn't always been the favorite this offseason, though, falling behind in April before the 2025 Spring Game.
Lincoln Kienholz, meanwhile, has been waiting for the wings even longer in Columbus, coming in with a resume that shouldn't be overlooked. The USA Today's National Athlete of the Year in 2023 owns the South Dakota state high school record for passing yards and has refused to let his name fade away in the QB1 discussion.
The Athletic's Cameron Teague stressed the importance of Day figuring out his QB battle before the Texas Longhorns come to town in Week 1.
Teague subscribes to the idea that if you have two QBs, you have none.
"Ohio State would be better off if somebody took control of this battle early in camp and carried the momentum into the final weeks of August, but that can’t be guaranteed. Although most believe Sayin will win the job, the competition is likely to continue through most of August," Teague wrote.
"Still, even if it could make sense for Day to play both quarterbacks in certain situations this season, especially with Kienholz’s athleticism, the Buckeyes need one starter going into Texas."
Day has never left any doubt on his offensive leader. He's not about to start now.
While Brian Hartline has experience working with Kienholz, he likely understands that Sayin signed on the dotted line with Ohio State to start and won't be back if he doesn't.
Expect Sayin to be Arch Manning's QB counterpart come August 30 when the Buckeyes battle the Longhorns at Ohio Stadium.