Ryan Day outlines what he wants to see in Julian Sayin, Lincoln Kienholz in quarterback battle

Julian Sayin is the presumed starting quarterback for Ohio State in 2025. Still, he has to win the job outright at fall camp.

Head coach Ryan Day addressed where the quarterback competition stands between Sayin and fellow QB Lincoln Kienholz entering fall camp. Day explained exactly what he’s looking for in a starting quarterback this fall.

“You want command of that offense. When you stand in there as a quarterback, you want everybody in that hall to believe in you,” Day told reporters on Thursday. “You want them to follow your command. That’s a three-part, and then taking care of the football, making routine plays, routinely getting us into the right play.

“That’s one of the things last year that I feel like Will (Howard) probably doesn’t get enough credit for, was all the little things (he did) that kept the offense moving, sometimes throwing the ball away. That keep us on schedule.”

The only time that fans have been able to see these two quarterbacks compete was during the spring game. During April’s scrimmage 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.

However, there’s only so much you can take away from a spring game performance, and both QBs have an entire summer under the belts since. Still, neither of these quarterbacks have starting experience like they did in 2024 with Howard.

Still, Day expects both of his QBs to be ready when their number is called. There are a few non-negotiable expectations he has out of his starter.

“I say all the time, ultimately, as a quarterback, third down, red zone and two minutes is where you make money,” Day concluded. “But we have good pieces around them, and they just need to lead the team, have your man and make great decisions and compete. If they do that and move the team down the field to score touchdowns, then they’re going to give us a chance to win.”

The official word on the Ohio State quarterback battle will have to be made before the Buckeyes take the field against Texas on Aug. 30. The Longhorns will also have a new starting quarterback in Arch Manning. That means whoever is named QB1 in Columbus will be expected to perform at a high level right out of the gates.