Ryan Day gives definitive update on where Ohio State quarterback battle stands

Julian Sayin, Lincoln Kienholz and Tavien St. Clair are the top three quarterbacks on the Ohio State roster heading into the 2025 season. According to Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day, Sayin and Kienholz appear to have placed themselves in a two-man battle for the starting job heading into the summer.

Fans got a taste of each QB’s skillset during the annual spring game earlier this month. Still, Day isn’t budging on naming a starter just yet.

“It’s going to be a new year. And I feel like there’s only been a couple times [since] I’ve been here, that we’ve had this conversation,” Day told Rece Davis during an appearance on the College GameDay podcast. “We’ve have an incumbent coming in, other than CJ [Stroud] and Justin [Fields] in year two. It’s been the same way. So, we’re in that same process of looking to figure out who that’s going to be.

“I feel like Julian and Lincoln are head of Tavian right now. Tavian has got a lot of upside, but just a little bit behind only having 15 practices. Julian has a year in the system. Lincoln, I said it the other day in the press conference that I feel like Lincoln was ahead of Julian going into the spring game, and I thought Julian had a better spring game than Lincoln, so it’s back and forth.”

During the spring game, Sayin completed 17 of his 24 passing attempts for 175 yards. He led the Buckeyes to three-straight touchdown drives to start the game. Meanwhile, Kienholz went 12 of 18 for 158 yards to go with two touchdowns. Kienholz completed a 51-yard catch and run touchdown to Mylan Graham on a slant, which turned into one of the best highlight reel plays of the afternoon.

Though, none of the three quarterbacks competing for Ohio State’s starting job have the experience Buckeyes fans are used to from their signal callers. After all, they just won the national championship with a fifth-year QB under center. They won’t get any of that from the quarterback room this fall.

“This summer is going to be important,” Day continued. “I think they’re all going to need each other. You’re not dealing with, you know, a 22-23-year-old Will Howard, who can probably handle 16 games. So I think they’re all going to need each other. We’re going to develop a great room there and we’ll see other summer shakes out.”

Day will have to have an answer by the time fall camp wraps up. They’re set to play Texas in a rematch of last season’s national semifinal game during Week 1, meaning Ohio State’s eventual Week 1 QB1 will be thrown in the deep end right to begin their career as a starter.