Ohio State Makes Surprising Quarterback Move on Tuesday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nate Lunak | Last updated May 20, 2025 4:21 PM ET

There's no doubt that after winning the national championship last season, the Ohio State Buckeyes are beginning to undergo some major roster changes, which include trying to find a replacement for quarterback Will Howard.

Throughout the offseason, it's become a clear two-man race between sophomore Julian Sayin and junior Lincoln Kienholz, which is a decision that still has time as their first matchup isn't until Aug. 30 against the Texas Longhorns.

However, even with these two cementing themselves as the frontrunners, head coach Ryan Day continues to be active focusing on other quarterbacks, and on Wednesday, the Buckeyes landed a commitment from Eli Brickhandler via the transfer portal.

BREAKING: Houston Christian transfer QB Eli Brickhandler has committed to Ohio State

Eli tossed for 557 yards and 4 touchdowns last season.https://t.co/PXiDDzZrKo pic.twitter.com/sTstxsEMVM
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) May 20, 2025

Brickhandler now becomes just the ninth player that Day and Ohio State have brought in through the transfer portal, for a group that ranks No. 10 in the nation, per On3.

Coming out of high school, he didn't get much attention from any top programs, as On3 Industry Rankings had him as a zero-star recruit.

Brickhandler originally started his career with the North Carolina A&T Aggies, where he spent two seasons and had limited production, completing 35-of-67 passes for 434 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

In 2024, he spent the year with the Houston Christian Huskies, where once again his numbers were far from impressive, completing 38-of-77 passes for 557 yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions and a 122.1 passing efficiency rating.

It becomes a relatively surprising addition because, based on his past performance, it becomes very unlikely that he is joining Ohio State with the idea of seeing any playing time and will rather just be a depth piece filling in as a backup.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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