Lincoln Kienholz will transfer from Ohio State to Louisville. Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lincoln Kienholz Chooses Louisville As Landing Spot

Originally posted on Washington Huskies on SI
By Dan Raley | Last updated Jan 4, 2026 6:30 PM ET

Lincoln Kienholz, the one-time University of Washington quarterback commit who didn't work out at Ohio State, needed just over 48 hours after entering the transfer portal to find a new home, committing to Louisville.

On Saturday night, several news outlets reported the 6-foot-3, 214-pound Kienholz, always the interest of those in Montlake because of what might have been, would be heading to the ACC school for his final two seasons.

While at the Cotton Bowl, where the Buckeye were eliminated 24-14 in the CFP quarterfinals, the quarterback conceded that for him to reach the NFL he had to play on the college level and that likely wasn't going to happen because he was behind redshirt freshman Julian Sayin, who's the starter.

Again, a little-known Kienholz from Pierre, South Dakota, was committed to the UW and Kalen DeBoer's staff for six months in 2022 and considered as a possible successor to Michael Penix Jr. once the veteran lefthander left.

Same as Kienholz, DeBoer was from South Dakota and people felt he had insider knowledge on the quarterback, who had visited only the three Ws: Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

BREAKING: Ohio State transfer QB Lincoln Kienholz has Committed to Louisville pic.twitter.com/fnPZ1pobvz
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) January 4, 2026

However, at the last minute, Ohio State made a late rush at Kienholz, got him on campus and got him to flip from the UW right before the December 2022 signing date.

DeBoer was visibly aggravated when asked about having the player getting pulled out from under him so late.

Yet Ohio State was not a good fit for Kienholz, who appeared in just seven games -- and only one in a meaningful manner, entering the 2023 Cotton Bowl in the first quarter as an injury replacement.

He played in just 10 career games in Columbus, just seven this past season, and completed 21 of 36 career passes and 250 yards and a score for the Big Ten Powerhouse.

Kienholz will head to a Louisville team coming off a 9-4 season and a 27-22 Boca Raton Bowl victory over Toledo.

He'll join the still thin competition to replace former USC QB Miller Moss, who was a 12-game starter this past season.

Louisville has had three quarterbacks enter the transfer portal in Mason Mims and Deuce Adams, who were both freshmen this past season, and and junior Brady Allen.

The only ohter scholarship quarterback currently on the Cardinals roster for next season is freshman Briggs Cherry, with Kienholz now on the way.

This article first appeared on Washington Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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