Ohio State quarterback has spoken with Ryan Day about entering transfer portal

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day keeps his door open to current players pondering other opportunities.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) subs in for quarterback Lincoln Kienholz (3) during the NCAA football game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 22, 2025. Ohio State won 42-9. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin has been sensational this season for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Aside from finishing the season as a Heisman finalist, Ohio State has enjoyed an extremely successful season. The Buckeyes finished the regular season 12-1. Their one loss was against undefeated Indiana in the Big Ten championship at the end of the season. Despite being the younger prospect, Sayin beat out junior quarterback Lincoln Kienholz in a competition for the spot in training camp.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day announced before the season that Sayin beat Kienholz in the competition because of Sayin's ability to play more consistently in first team reps. Keinholz spoke to the media before the Buckeyes' game against the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes on New Years Eve about the possibility of transferring and what his goals are.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Lincoln Kienholz (3) speaks to his teammates in the second half of the NCAA college football game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Three years, 36 passes

Lincoln Kienholz out of Pierre, San Diego signed onto Ohio State in 2023 as a four-star quarterback. Since then, he's thrown just 36 passes and didn't attempt a single pass last season. Kienholz expressed his desires to play meaningful college football and to play in the NFL someday.

The junior also admitted to talking about the possibility of getting a chance to play elsewhere with coach Day.

“I've definitely had conversations. I'm not 100% sure, but my goal is to go to the NFL, and in order to do that, you gotta play. So I've had conversations with Coach Day and also with Coach Fessler a little bit about it.”

Lincoln Kienholz

Kienholz has thrown 14 passes this season and threw his first touchdown in three years this season as well.

Who has started over Kienholz?

Kyle McCord was the starting quarterback of the Buckeyes was Kienholz first arrived as a freshman. The Buckeyes lost to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl and McCord transferred to Syracuse the following season. Will Howard then led the Buckeyes to a national championship victory against Notre Dame while freshman Julian Sayin and redshirt sophomore Devin Brown were on the roster with Kienholz.

The quarterback room has been flooded while Kienholz has been on the roster. Brown transferred out of Ohio State after the 2024 season to Cal. Kienholz has remained in Ohio State to weather the storm. The competition against Sayin before the season started was the best chance he's had at the starting spot while at Ohio State.

Lincoln Kienholz says he hasn’t made his final decision on whether he’ll enter the transfer portal, but he’s discussed the possibility with Ryan Day and Billy Fessler.

“I've definitely had conversations. I'm not 100% sure, but my goal is to go to the NFL, and in order to do… pic.twitter.com/jSpSEmNZAI

— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) December 29, 2025

With Kienholz's eyes on the NFL and only 36 regular season passes to show for his entire college football career, Kienholz could look for a starting spot at a smaller school after this College Football Playoffs campaign. No. 2 Ohio State plays against the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes this Wednesday December 31 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.