Inside The Huskies

Lincoln Kienholz's Still Complicated College Football Journey

The one-time Husky commit is contemplating whether to leave Ohio State or not.
Dan Raley|
One-time UW commit Lincoln Kienholz calls a Ohio State play against Minnesota during this past season.
One-time UW commit Lincoln Kienholz calls a Ohio State play against Minnesota during this past season. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He was the South Dakota quarterback who had a chance to play for the coach originally from South Dakota.

It all made sense why Lincoln Kienholz and Kalen DeBoer had forged a recruiting connection, with Lincoln KIenholz from the state capital of Pierre committed to the University of Washington -- that is, until he wasn't.

Three years ago, the 6-foot-2, 214-pound signal-caller was poised to sign with the Huskies until Ohio State came in with a late offer and ceremoniously flipped him.

Today, Kienholz is in Arlington, Texas, with the Buckeyes (12-1), preparing for a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Miami (11-2) on Wednesday at AT&T Stadium, and admittedly mulling his college future and possible entry in the transfer portal.

"I've definitely had conversations," Kienholz told reporters. "I'm not 100 percent sure, but my goal is to go to the NFL. And in order to do so, you gotta play."

In three seasons, he's appeared in 10 games for Ohio State, seven this past season, and completed 21 of 36 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for a pair of scores.

That likely wouldn't get him drafted.

Considering what DeBoer did, leaving Montlake after two seasons for Alabama, it's hard to say which decision would have best served Kienholz back in 2022.

Had he stayed with the Huskies, he would have had one season as a back-up to Michael Penix Jr. and then had to address whether Jedd Fisch's staff suited him or follow DeBoer to Alabama. Or go elsewhere.

Kienholz thought he had it all figured out when he explained his decision to go with the Buckeyes rather than the Huskies to the Columbus Post-Dispatch.

"I think Washington had better NIL than Ohio State," he said at the time, referring to name, image and likeness opportunities. "I think I can go to Washington and get money, or I can go to Ohio State and be developed and then potentially reach my goal of going to the NFL." 

As it stands now, Kienholz hasn't experienced the sort of development he envisioned. In competing to become Ohio State's starting quarterback, he's been passed over by redshirt freshman Julian Sayin, who ironically chose to leave Alabama for Ohio State once DeBoer was coming.

Further demonstrating the complexities of college football, Kienholz finds himself back in Texas, where he's had his only real college football trial so far.

Ohio State quarterback Lincoln Kienholz sends in signals behind coach Ryan Day during the 2023 Cotton Bowl.
Ohio State quarterback Lincoln Kienholz sends in signals behind coach Ryan Day during the 2023 Cotton Bowl. | Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In 2023, he was a true freshman who replaced injured Buckeyes starter Devin Brown in the first half of the Cotton Bowl against Missouri and drew 42 snaps.

Unfortunately for Kienholz, he couldn't rescue his team from a 14-3 loss to Missouri while he completed 6 of 17 passes for 86 yards.

As this situation plays out, it's more than likely he won't be at either Ohio State or Washington next season.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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