Vying to defend their national title in the 2025 NCAA season, the Ohio State Buckeyes are gearing up for the school’s spring game on April 12. As the rostermakes its first official appearance ahead of the regular season, head coach Ryan Day made a key announcement regarding the starting quarterback battle—one that will determine who replaces Will Howard, who declared for the NFL Draft.
Howard, the Kansas State transfer, joined Day’s Buckeyes for the 2024 season and led the program to the promised land of college football, hoisting the national championship trophy after defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on the biggest stage.
However, his one-year stint has come and gone, and Ohio State must now find its new starting quarterback for a challenging campaign—one in which every team will be coming for the Buckeyes’ crown.
The Buckeyes have three quarterbacks battling for the starting job: junior Lincoln Kienholz, sophomore Julian Sayin, and freshman Tavien St. Clair. On that note, Day provided a big update on the ongoing battle for the QB1 role.
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.
“Lincoln [Kienholz] and Julian [Sayin] are, you know, pretty much neck-and-neck right now [for the starting job],” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said, per On3. “I think it’s fair to say that Tavien [St. Clair] probably has the longest way to go just because of the lack of experience.”
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Don’t count him out
Though Sayin and Kienholz have an edge over St. Clair from an experience standpoint, the five-star freshman has already showcased his impressive skillset and shouldn’t be ruled out—especially if Sayin or Kienholz stumble.
“I think it’s easy to see – you guys saw it on Saturday, the talent and [St. Clair’s] ability to run, his athleticism, the arm,” Day added. “He has all those things. He just needs to play more, he needs to see it more. The game is just moving really fast for him right now, but he’s picking it up, he’s getting it every day.”
At a stalemate
The competition is currently at a stalemate in Columbus. While Kienholz has been with Day and the Buckeyes for three years, his limited playing time has leveled the playing field against Howard, who transferred from Alabama in January 2024, and St. Clair, who just arrived on campus.
Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on before the Goodyear Cotton Bowl against the Texas Longhorns at AT&T Stadium on January 10, 2025 in Arlington, Texas.
“There’s been mistakes made. But that’s part of growing, you know,” Day admitted. “Now the question is are you going to continue to make the same mistakes over and over again? That’s when, you know, we start to get nervous. But, right now, um, we’re still in that growth phase, that learning phase.
“They’re growing. They’re learning. You know, there’s nobody that’s any that much further ahead than the other one right now so they’re going to continue to compete.”
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With the season opener against the Texas Longhorns circled in red on the calendar, the Buckeyes know they must find their QB1 soon—every day that passes without a clear starter could prove costly. Especially considering they’ll face Arch Manning on August 30 at The Horseshoe, and they can’t afford to give him any sort of edge.
