Ohio State QB battle: Lincoln Kienholz details relationship with Julian Sayin, Tavien St. Clair

As Ohio State heads into the 2025 season, it does so needing a new starting quarterback. The battle has been intense so far, but players have managed to retain their friendly relationships.

Julian Sayin is probably the odds-on favorite to win the job, but he’s being pushed hard by Lincoln Kienholz. The two are very different individuals.

Still, they’ve managed to forge a bond that is helping as things get intense in fall camp. And they’ve looped in the freshman, too.

“I’d say we’re friends, honestly,” Kienholz said. “I think just the past two years Julian and I have developed a good friendship and good relationship toward each other. Then obviously with Tavien (St. Clair) coming in this year as well, I think we’re all cool towards each other and we all want each other to get better and be the best we can.”

Kienholz, a junior, is the elder statesman in the room. But none of the three quarterbacks are all that far removed from the others as the battle rages on.

It has created an interesting dynamic this fall. The relationship between Kienholz and Sayin is one both quarterbacks have been working on this offseason.

“It’s a little different. He’s a Cali kid, I’m from South Dakota,” Kienholz said. “So I mean there’s some things that we have an interest together, but then there’s also a lot of things that we do on our free time. I think this summer a big thing was golf. I golfed with Julian a couple times this summer, so I think that’s something we kind of share interest in.”

How is Sayin’s game? Good enough to merit a compliment, despite the ongoing position battle.

“He’s all right,” Kienholz said with a smile. “He’s all right, yeah.”

Sayin also spoke to the camaraderie in the room even as they battle. All three guys are bought into being good teammates.

“In the spring, we only had three guys here in the room: me, Tavien and Lincoln. So, we were very close as a group,” Sayin said. “That’s just grown over the summer, and then this camp. We’re a very close room, and coach (Billy) Fessler leads that… We compete every day, but we have each other’s backs, for sure.”