Stephen Leonard
Ohio State Writer
The Ohio State Spring game showcased the quarterback battle for both the media and the Buckeye faithful. Those who missed the Spring game missed sophomore Julian Sayin throwing darts to the elite Buckeye receivers. The narrative quickly emerged that Sayin is the favorite to win the starting quarterback role.
As expected there were over throws and miscues by all three quarterbacks. However, Sayin clearly won the day with several beautiful throws in the first half. Junior Lincoln Kienholz struggled to start the day, however he finished strong. I can think of another quarterback that struggled in the first half of his first start: CJ Stroud. The spring game is a different circumstance but the point still remains; a limited sample size cannot predict future success or failure.
CJ Stroud on his first half as the Ohio State starting quarterback:
“In the first half, my mind wasn’t right. I was kind of all over the place a little bit. I talked to my teammates, praying a lot and just trying to lock back in. I don’t think I did terrible, but I definitely didn’t do as best as I could in the first half.”
Both Justin Fields and Will Howard rebounded from sub-par Spring games to enjoy excellent careers. Often times fans and the media are quick to crown a starter with limited samples sizes.
Just go back and watch the second half, Kienholz settled down. He showed resolve and overcame the adversity of a poor showing in the first half. He could have easily tucked his tail between his legs or even worse turned the ball over. He bounced back on the first possession in the 3rd quarter, driving down the field for a score. Kienholz finished the day 12 of 18 for 158 yards with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. These are the attributed of a competitor and a mentally strong quarterback. I want a dude who can bounce back after the going get tough. Throughout the course of the 2025 season there will inevitably be obstacles, loses, or the need for a game winning drive. Kienholtz was leading going into the spring game.
We did a Spring game Morning After Show for Buckeye Backers podcast and this week Ryan Day echoed the analysis we provided the day after the spring game. I mentioned we needed to read the tea leaves Day placed before us. This is an actual neck and neck quarterback battle; it is not just coach speak. Ryan Day backed those thoughts up with his press conference statements this week.
If you were paying attention, it was obvious. Kienholz lead the team onto the field, took the first possession of spring game snaps, and got the first possession after half. Kienholz also showed his value during the student appreciation scrimmage.
Sayin balled out in the spring game but we need to analyze those snaps a little further. Sayin’s best showing of spring ball came with zero pressure from blitzes or defensive line stunts. The generic, vanilla defense did not challenge any of the quarterbacks’ ability to make throws under pressure.
Playing the position under duress is a large component of successful quarterback play. Sitting back and throwing from a protected bubble minimizes the chance of error. This is not a true representation of quarterback play or how they will perform in week 1 when Texas comes to town.
Kienholz had the same advantages of a base defense with little pressure. Pressure can lead to turnovers. Evidence displaying how Sayin reacts to pressure is limited but the limited evidence has been concerning. The interception Sayin threw in the student appreciation scrimmage, I couldn’t help but notice the defensive line pressure. Sayin panicked, leading to an under-throw that was intercepted by Jermaine Mathews.
I’m not insinuating this is a trend but turnovers from either candidate will change the public perception and change it quickly. We need to see how both quarterbacks respond under duress before rushing to judgment.
Kienholz ability to extend plays when the call on the field breaks down or take it the distance on designed run has been overlooked with the spring game design. I am going to claim Sayin is stoic in the pocket, in fact he has sufficient athleticism but Kienholz’s athletic ability is next level.
In a zone read option during the spring game Kienholz showed his athletic abilities before the whistle was blown dead prematurely. Kienholz’s high school head coach, Steve Steele, believes he would have taken that run to the house. After re-watching the play, it’s hard to argue against that outcome. The safety was closing in fast but I will not rule out Kienholz ability make the man miss.
We cannot rush to anoint the next signal caller just yet, this is still a two horse race according to Day. Buckeye nation is fortunate to have both quarterbacks heading into fall camp in this transfer portal world. Next week I will make the case for Sayin.
