Ohio State Buckeyes' Ryan Day Speaks Out About QB Competition

With the preseason beginning to ramp up for the Ohio State Buckeyes, the questions surrounding the quarterback battle between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz still remain unanswered heading into the 2025 college football season. However, head coach Ryan Day recently gave some insight into the competition and what he's look for during practices.

When asked about what he is looking to see from both Sayin and Kienholz this preseason, Day told reporters on Thursday that he wants "command of the offense."

"You want command of the offense," Day said. "When you stand in there as a quarterback, you want everyone to believe in you. You want them to follow your command."

In addition to a leader on offense, Day mentioned that he wants his quarterback to take care of the football and make the routine plays, while also stating the importance of situational football.

With former starting quarterback Will Howard off to the NFL, the quarterback position has been one of the main questions for Day and the Buckeyes heading into this season. After the departure of Alabama head coach Nick Saban, Ohio State was able to land both Sayin and safety Caleb Downs in the transfer portal prior to the 2024 season. And while Downs played a key role on defense last year, Sayin now has the opportunity to start with Howard out of the picture.

However, one of the biggest surprises this offseason has been the growth demonstrated from Kienholz. As a four-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle, the redshirt sophomore has spent the past two seasons behind Howard and Kyle McCord. But with Devin Brown entering the transfer portal, Kienholz quickly took advantage of the move and impressed the coaching staff with his performance during the spring.

Whoever wins the starting job for the Buckeyes will have a daunting task ahead of him, as the program is set to host the Texas Longhorns in week one.