'Let Them Compete!' Ryan Day Updates Ohio State QB Competition
When Will Howard transferred to the Ohio State Buckeyes from Kansas State, the overwhelming consensus was that he would be the starting quarterback in Columbus in 2024.
However, the Buckeyes also added the signature of five-star freshman Air Noland, transfer QB Julian Sayin, and two talented quarterbacks with multiple years in the program with Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz.
And while Howard well may be the favorite, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day told the media on the first day of spring practice that there will indeed be an open competition over the next few weeks.
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“I think in at least the first quarter in the spring, we’re just going to let them all play and get their reps," Day said. "I think, as that starts to set a little bit, we’ll start to maybe make sure guys are getting the reps with the 1s they need to. But we’re going to let them compete."
Day obviously already knows what Howard and Brown - and to a lesser extent Kienholz - can do on game day. He has seen it.
Instead, the biggest challenge in all of this might be keeping the younger players engaged and happy in the program. Especially considering the current state of college football and the transfer portal.
But Day has a plan for that.
"It’s hard for us to say, you know someone like Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz or Air Noland, ‘Hey, you’re going to come in here and compete,’ and the first thing they do is come in here and take a bunch of reps with the 3s... Whatever drill it may be, we want to make sure you’re getting reps with everybody so you can show what you can do. So they’ll compete."
Either way, with over a month until the spring game, and even longer until the start of fall camp and the season opener against Akron, the Buckeyes have plenty of time to make their decision.
“We have the fortune of having a little bit of time right now, and then, as things shake, I think the big focus, and this is something that we’ve talked to our staff about, is in the spring, we want to develop the individual player," Day said. "As we get closer to the season, we start to really grab onto the scheme, the team and the chemistry of the group."
So what will separate the winner from the rest of the pack?
Understanding of the scheme, and chemistry within the offense and with his teammates.
"Now, you still need to understand the schemes in the spring, and how you fit into them," Day said. "That’s something we want to make sure we develop with each individual player right now. The focus, not how he fits into the scheme and the chemistry of the offense or defense.”
