Head coach Ryan Day officially named redshirt freshman Julian Sayin the starting quarterback on Monday.
Day’s announcement ends the battle between Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz that has been ongoing since the spring. Sayin has long been thought to be the frontrunner for the starting job, but Kienholz kept the battle close throughout spring and fall camp.
Now the Buckeyes will try to get as much work in with Sayin in practice to prepare for No. 1 Texas coming to town in 12 days, the biggest reason Day wanted to end the quarterback competition as soon as he felt he reasonably could.
Day said that Kienholz would be the No. 2 quarterback with true freshman Tavien St. Clair behind them on the depth chart.
The battle went on as long as it did partly because neither Sayin or Kienholz have any meaningful in-game experience. Kienholz went in for an injured Devin Brown to finish the 2023 Cotton Bowl loss against Missouri, but didn’t throw a pass last season. Sayin’s only experience was in blowout wins in the 2024 season.
But since Kienholz struggled in that game, he has been developing in the Buckeyes system and turned the quarterback battle into a real competition.
Day talked on Aug. 5 about what Sayin brings to the table as the Buckeyes quarterback.
“There’s a lot to like,” Day said of Sayin. “He’s very smart. He makes quick decisions. The ball comes out of his hand, he’s accurate. He’s improved. He wants to be good. He knows what it takes.”
Now Sayin can focus on getting the majority of the reps in preseason camp to prepare for the Longhorns, who likely plan to use their strong defense to pressure the young quarterback.
