ESPN Offers Update on Ohio State Buckeyes' QB Situation

The Ohio State Buckeyes' quarterback situation is very interesting heading into 2025.

Oct 5, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin and quarterback Lincoln Kienholz warm up prior to the NCAA football game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Ohio Stadium. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes have some big shoes to fill under center, as Will Howard has departed and will be making the jump to the NFL.

Howard just led Ohio State to its first national championship in a decade, so obviously, there will be a whole lot of pressure on whoever grabs the starting quarterback role in 2025.

The general consensus is that it will be former five-star recruit Julian Sayin, who is already generating Heisman Trophy buzz after throwing just 12 passes during his freshman campaign.

While Sayin is definitely the favorite, ESPN's Adam Rittenberg feels that he still has some boxes to check heading into next season.

"Perhaps the path is clear for Julian Sayin, the Alabama transfer who enters his second season in Columbus after limited work (12 pass attempts) last fall," Rittenberg wrote. "... Sayin will need to outplay Lincoln Kienholz, who enters his third year in the program, and incoming freshman Tavien St. Clair, ESPN's No. 3 quarterback and No. 10 overall recruit for 2025."

Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day has also said that there will be an open competition for the position in camp, but you have to believe that, barring unforeseen circumstances, Sayin will land the job.

St. Clair is an incoming freshman, so the chances of him beating out Sayin are slim, regardless of how highly he has been touted. Meanwhile, Kienholz has generally been viewed as a backup.

Ohio State definitely has options, but Sayin will probably be taking snaps in Columbus next fall.

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