Ohio St. prioritized 3-way QB battle over portal

LAS VEGAS - Ohio State coach Ryan Day reiterated Tuesday that the Buckeyes didn't take in a transfer portal quarterback this offseason because they want to develop the three talented passers they already have on campus.

Sophomore Julian Sayin is battling junior Lincoln Kienholz and true freshman Tavien St. Clair for the starting job as the Buckeyes look to replace Will Howard. After transferring from Kansas State in January 2024, Howard quarterbacked Ohio State to its first national championship in a decade in his lone season with the Buckeyes.

"When we have to, or when we're left in that situation, we will [bring in a transfer quarterback]," Day said during Big Ten media days. "But we want to develop guys, and these are three guys we want to continue to develop."

Sayin was the nation's top-rated quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class. After originally signing with Alabama, the 6-foot-1, 203-pound Sayin transferred to Ohio State once coach Nick Saban retired.

"Julian certainly gets the ball out quickly," Day said. "He's had a good offseason. He's intelligent. He's very competitive. He's got good athleticism. He's accurate."

The 6-foot-3, 207-pound Kienholz, however, pushed Sayin in the spring and will have an opportunity in the preseason to win the job as well. Kienholz, just the second player to sign with the Buckeyes from the state of South Dakota, was a multi-sport star in high school.

"Just a tremendous athlete," Day said of Kienholz, who has been in the program for three years. "You pick a sport, he can do it. He's like a four handicap (in golf). He can hit the (baseball) out of the park. He was a major-league baseball prospect. He can windmill dunk. He can do a lot of things."

Because he only arrived at campus earlier this year, St. Clair remains behind in the competition. But he was the nation's No. 10 overall recruit and the gem of Ohio State's incoming recruiting class.

"He certainly has the size, the makeup," Day said of the 6-foot-4, 225-pound St. Clair. "He's a great young man. He's very intelligent. He's athletic. He can throw the ball. I think he's got a really bright future ahead of him.

"... They're all exciting guys."

Day declined to give a timetable of when he might announce a starter ahead of the Buckeyes' blockbuster opener against Texas on Aug. 30 -- a rematch of last year's playoff semifinal.

"I think it's important for the locker room to believe in whoever that is," Day said. "When the locker room believes in that guy, that's the right time. ... So we'll see where this goes."