Off a national championship, expectations are through the roof for Ohio State. Last season, Will Howard was the man who played lights out, threw for more than 4,000 yards, and took the Buckeyes to the promised land. But now Howard’s in the NFL, and all of a sudden Ryan Day is looking at a room with loads of talent but little experience. The contenders? Julian Sayin, the five-star Alabama transfer, and Lincoln Kienholz, the athletic junior waiting for his moment. Freshman Tavien St. Clair and senior Mason Maggs are in there too, but let’s be real, everyone’s looking at Sayin and Kienholz.
ESPN’s Jake Trotter and nearly every OSU beat writer have noted that whoever gets the job needs to be more than just a game manager. Cardale Jones, Ohio State’s former quarterback who famously took the Buckeyes to a national championship, sat down recently to discuss the quarterback battle that is presently brewing at OSU between Lincoln Kienholz and Julian Sayin. Cardale’s opinion is both firsthand and sharp, and he didn’t mince words about what it ultimately comes down to for Ryan Day in choosing his next starter.
“I think it’s the intangibles without the reps right now and the experience,” Jones said in a recent conversation with T-Bone and Tyvis Powell in the inaugural episode of The Quarterback Room. “I think it’s just the way that each of these guys develops and processes information.” In 2014, Cardale Jones himself was thrust into the fire with near-zero reps following J.T. Barrett’s injury. What differentiated Cardale wasn’t merely his rocket arm—it was his composure, his capacity for digesting the madness of a playoff game and making intelligent decisions.
Lincoln Kienholz and Julian Sayin don’t have extensive game experience. They haven’t experienced a sold-out Horseshoe Saturday night and haven’t endured the pressure of a third-and-long with a season hanging in the balance. But teammates and coaches are looking for those little indicators.
Jones continues, “You’re going to find yourself in situations, no matter which quarterback it is. That they’re just experiencing is going to show, you know, or the lack of experience is going to show.” Early in the spring, Ryan Day was quite candid—there was no clear-cut favorite. Kienholz had the upper hand going into the spring game, impressing media and coaches alike with his crisp play in scrimmages and practices.
But then came the spring game, and Sayin turned it around. He played calmly, moved the offense confidently, and ended with 175 yards and a touchdown. However, this isn’t a show. Kienholz had his moments, too, particularly earlier this spring, and he’s not a placeholder by any means—he has a cannon and the benefit of having been in the system longer. But Day isn’t showing his hand—he’s letting this fight play itself out into fall camp, and Kienholz is right there with him, waiting to strike if Sayin makes one misstep. Ultimately, Cardale’s warning is quite explicit about one thing: Don’t make your starting quarterback feel like he has to look over his shoulder all the time. Trust your choice, and give him space to develop.
Cardale Jones’ take on the next leader
Cardale Jones, the man who broke into the Ohio State limelight and took the Buckeyes to a national championship, is fully aware of what it’s like to be in the midst of a fierce quarterback battle. “I think the biggest thing is really taking advantage of each and every opportunity,” says Jones in the podcast. “Both guys are more than capable enough of leading this team to a lot of wins and putting themselves in a great position to ultimately do the things they potentially want to do at the next level.” Sayin’s got the credentials—Elite 11 MVP, California’s best recruit, and a reputation for composure far beyond his years.
But don’t rule out Lincoln Kienholz. The redshirt freshman has been working in Columbus, studying the system and awaiting his opportunity. Jones adds, “I went over to Woody and watched spring practice. Lincoln looked really good and looked better than Julian, and vice versa. But I think the biggest thing I’ve seen from both of those guys is that they wanted to be perfect. And you’re never going to be perfect, and you feel that pressure on yourself to be perfect because you know what’s riding on the line.”
Both QBs are still learning, and neither one has a lot of actual game time under their belts. Kienholz is still right behind him, too, pushing Sayin every step of the way. Sayin’s solid performance in the spring game appeared to put him in a good position, though. Coaches and insiders are indicating that if he can continue to build on that with more consistency during preseason camp, he’s very much set to be QB1 come opening day.
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