Julian Sayin Clear Front Runner In Ohio State QB Battle

There is a clear quarterback battle that is brewing in Columbus between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz. Following the departure of Will Howard, who led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a national championship last season, there is an opening that needs to be filled.

Sayin transferred to the Buckeyes in 2024 from Alabama following the retirement of long-time Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban. Per ESPN, Sayin was the No. 3 overall prospect, including the top on offense, in the 2024 class. He is revered for his poise, accuracy, and elite football IQ. He appeared in 4 games for the Buckeyes last season, throwing for 84 yards and a touchdown on 5 of 12 attempts.

Kienholz has been at Ohio State for two seasons, entering his junior year. He has appeared in 5 games for the Scarlet and Gray, going 10 of 22 for 111 yards. Per 247 Sports, he was the 11th-best quarterback in the 2022 class, and he is an athletic athlete who can make and extend plays with his feet.

Sayin has been the top choice for head coach Ryan Day and crew, being given the most game time last season, but Day has been clear in stating that, "We want to create an environment where these guys can compete. We feel great about the guys we have.” He is giving Kienholz and third-string freshman QB Tavien St. Clair a chance to compete and make waves in the competition.

While Sayin has been the top quarterback thus far, there is still a lot of competing that will take place before the Buckeyes open their season up in a few short weeks.

Day made one thing abundantly clear during Big Ten media days, though, about the Buckeyes' strategy with their quarterbacks: "When we have to use the portal, we will, but we want to develop guys who come in and want to be at Ohio State." After finding peak success last year with Howard, who was a transfer, Day and company are building a program that is designed to develop players and not just cherry-pick from the rest of the field.