The query Ohio State confronted the day after profitable the nationwide championship was a well-recognized one: Who’s the following quarterback? With veteran switch Will Howard gone after guiding the Buckeyes to their first nationwide title in a decade, coach Ryan Day is again to evaluating a younger quarterback room in hopes of discovering this system’s subsequent chief. After Thursday’s first follow of fall camp, he noticed early indicators of progress — and a protracted highway nonetheless forward.
“It is only a begin,” Day stated. “We’re simply getting shifting round, so onerous to inform. I do suppose all three of them look a bit bit stronger, a bit bit extra explosive, shifting higher. Slightly bit extra command of the huddle. However we’ll watch the movie and form of go from there. Day 1 with out pads is form of onerous. We’ll have a greater really feel — give me 4 or 5 days and get a greater thought.”
The Buckeyes have three former blue-chip recruits competing for the job: redshirt sophomore Lincoln Kienholz, redshirt freshman Julian Sayin and true freshman Tavien St. Clair. All three are proficient however unproven. None have began a university recreation, although Kienholz and Sayin have mixed for 34 go makes an attempt since arriving in Columbus.
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Sayin, a former five-star prospect and No. 1 quarterback within the 2024 recruiting class out of Carlsbad (Califorina), enrolled at Ohio State in January 2024 after a quick stint at Alabama. Regardless of restricted recreation reps final fall, he is extensively seen because the frontrunner within the Buckeyes’ present race.
Day is not in a rush to decide, however with a season-opening headliner in opposition to Texas one month away, he is aware of a alternative cannot wait too lengthy.
“Going into the sport, you actually wish to have a starter named,” Day stated.
In search of a frontrunner
With a lot youth within the quarterback room, Day stated he is targeted on evaluating extra than simply arm expertise. He is watching how the gamers carry themselves, how they deal with the huddle, how they impart with teammates, how they lead.
“If you stand in there as a quarterback, you need all people in that huddle to imagine in you,” Day stated. “You need them to comply with your command. I imply, that is an enormous a part of it. Then taking good care of the soccer, making routine performs routinely, getting us into the fitting play — that is one of many issues final 12 months that I really feel like Will (Howard) in all probability would not get sufficient credit score for, was all of the little issues that saved the offense shifting.”
That features easy issues like throwing the ball away to keep away from a loss or getting the crew into the fitting safety.
“In the end, as a quarterback, third down, pink zone and two-minute is the place you make your cash,” Day stated. “However we’ve got good items round them. And so they simply must make routine performs routinely, have command, and make nice selections.”
Following Will Howard’s instance
Although Howard was solely in Columbus for one season, Day stated his impression prolonged past his manufacturing. The previous Kansas State starter introduced maturity, toughness and management — traits Day hopes rubbed off on the youthful quarterbacks now competing for the job.
“I believe each time you’ve gotten a quarterback, you be taught a bit extra,” Day stated. “Yearly, you be taught just a bit bit. And each quarterback I have been round, you are taking one thing from.”
Bodily, Day stated Howard’s measurement stood out. However extra essential was his mindset and presence within the locker room.
“(Will) did have a rare management model and his mindset was undoubtedly distinctive to him,” Day stated. “… Each Julian and Lincoln each noticed Will lead. You do not have to be Will Howard, although. You have to be your self. And that is simply the way it works. You need to be you. However you even have to guide and take command.”
That instance, Day believes, set an ordinary for what it ought to appear like and supplied a blueprint for the way a quarterback can earn belief and drive a crew ahead.
“There are actually issues that you just be taught from and issues that you just seize onto and acknowledge issues that helped us win a championship,” Day stated. “And definitely, Will had a few of these issues. However no two quarterbacks are the identical. And so it is maximizing every man and difficult them in these areas. And an enormous a part of that is going to be management.”
Multi-sport edge?
Of the three contenders, Kienholz has maybe essentially the most unconventional background. A multi-sport athlete from South Dakota, he did not have the identical entry to year-round soccer as a lot of his friends — one thing Day thinks may truly work in his favor.
“There’s not many Division I quarterbacks popping out of South Dakota,” Day stated. “However once you have a look at his background in a number of sports activities — yeah, I believe any time you may play a number of sports activities, it is essential.”
Kienholz was a three-sport standout at Pierre (South Dakota) T.F. Riggs incomes all-state honors twice in basketball whereas additionally enjoying baseball at a excessive stage. On the soccer area, he helped lead the Governors to 3 state championships as a beginning quarterback and set South Dakota’s all-time passing report with greater than 9,100 yards.
He added greater than 3,500 speeding yards in his profession and accounted for 70 (!!) complete touchdowns as a senior. That manufacturing actually displays his dual-threat capability and uncooked athleticism.
Whereas many quarterbacks now focus on soccer at an early age, Day stated he prefers the old-school path.
Stress is a part of the job in Columbus
Regardless of who emerges because the starter, Day stated all three quarterbacks will have to be able to deal with stress — and that begins in follow. Within the spring, Ohio State took the uncommon step of permitting quarterbacks to be “dwell,” that means they may very well be tackled, or at the least touched, throughout drills.
“The plan just isn’t to do this right here within the preseason, however to show the warmth up,” Day stated. “The warmth’s on them continually. I ensure of that.”
Ideally, the Buckeyes wish to decide a starter properly earlier than the season opener. Whether or not that call turns into public earlier than Texas arrives for the Aug. 30 matchup is unsure, however Day stated he is making ready as if they might want multiple quarterback to win video games this 12 months.
“With a younger room like that, you need to predict that you will want all people,” Day stated. “So the event’s received to be every day for all three of them.”
That growth will take time. But when Day realized something from Howard’s run to the nationwide title, it is that regular, competent quarterback play — paired with management — will be sufficient to win all of it.
And so the competitors begins, with a championship customary already set.
