Finally, the Ohio State Buckeyes claimed the NCAAF title after securing a resounding victory over Notre Dame last week. This also marked the end of the career of starting QB Will Howard in the program, who declared himself eligible for the upcoming NFL draft. For this reason, HC Ryan Day is now analyzing the possibilities to replace the talented player for the next season.
In recent statements to 97.1 The Fan, the head coach discussed the alternatives available within the roster and what players will have to fight for in order to earn the starting quarterback spot: “These guys are going to compete their tail off.”
Day continued: “And we have some good quarterbacks in the system, and, you know, I shared with all of them that you know now, this was the week leading up to the national championship game that you know you had an opportunity to watch. And so you got to really utilize that, because that’s exactly what we’re looking for in a leader here at quarterback.
“So when you guys come back in about two weeks, you gotta look different, you gotta walk different, you gotta act different, because now you’re fighting to become the starting quarterback at Ohio State. We have some really talented guys in that room, and, you know, looking forward to see what the competition brings.”
Julian Sayin #10 of the Ohio State Buckeyes warms up prior to the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Wrigley Field on November 16, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
Currently, Ryan Day has three alternatives to take on the starting quarterback role to replace Will Howard: Julian Sayin, Lincoln Keinholz, and five-star freshman Tavien St. Clair. While there is no confirmation yet, it is believed that Sayin has the best chances of being named the starter.
see also
Ohio State star makes something clear on reason behind return to Ryan Day's Buckeyes for 2025 season
Day loses a staff member for the upcoming season
The upcoming College Football season brings many changes within the programs, and in this case, it’s not just about players. Recently, it was revealed that Ryan Day loses a key staff member who moves to the Big Ten.
According to what journalist Ross Dellenger from Yahoo Sports announced, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has agreed to join the Penn State Nittany Lions’ staff under head coach James Franklin.
“Ohio State DC Jim Knowles is expected to become the new defensive coordinator at Penn State, sources tell @YahooSports.The two sides are in the process of finalizing an agreement. Big hire for James Franklin,” Dellenger stated.
