The Buckeyes are riding high on a national championship season, but there is no time for a victory lap in Columbus. With the season opener against Texas coming just weeks from now, the intensity is all about maintaining the momentum going, particularly with Michigan and the Big Ten crown always in sight. Ryan Day has his work cut out for him, not only in planning the game but also in navigating a starting quarterback drama that’s as compelling—and charged—as any in recent times. A year ago, Will Howard was the surprise starter and took Ohio State all the way to the Natty. This year? Déjà vu, but with fresh faces. The question is: Who will be Coach Day’s QB1?
The QB battle has boiled down to two choices: Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz. Sayin, a five-star Alabama transfer, arrived as the odds-on favorite. He’s got the pedigree, the arm, and the presence—plus, analysts are already forecasting he’ll lead the Big Ten in passing this season. But Kienholz, a four-star 2023 recruit, had a solid spring and is not here merely to fill space. He has pushed Sayin hard, making this an earnest two-man competition. Now that everyone’s all hyped up over Sayin and Kienholz, you may be thinking, where’s Tavien St. Clair in the quarterback mix? St. Clair is the new face in town, but not a typical freshman. He’s a five-star recruit, No. 2 quarterback in his class, already getting Buckeye enthusiasts abuzz with what he will become.
Standing 6’4″ and 225 lbs, St. Clair, the Ohio Mr. Football finalist of 2024, has a cannon for an arm and gaudy high school numbers—more than 10,000 passing yards and 100 touchdowns. Everybody’s wondering if he is going to make a late bid for the starting spot. But St. Clair needs more experience, and he’s working on it. He has been a regular visitor to the Bama since his commitment in 2023, and has been observing games and practices for quite some time now. “I think I’m getting better every day,” St. Clair said. “That’s the main focus. Just trying to develop every single day. Get better at everything that I can. Be a better leader for the team, be a better teammate, be a better person outside of practice. That’s really been the main development. We’ll see where it takes me throughout the spring, but just trying to get better every single day, developing every single day is my main focus.”
“I think I’m getting better every day.”
Tavien St. Clair isn’t worried about starting for Ohio State out of the gates, but setting himself up for success in the future.https://t.co/Q9jAGr8gg9 pic.twitter.com/dC8VQszMZ3
— Patrick Murphy (@_Pat_Murphy) June 6, 2025
So, despite being a frequent visitor to the Bama campus since 2023, taking actual snaps in practice was a whole new world to St. Clair. But what’s great about him is the way he’s navigated that transition. Contrary to most freshmen who arrive wide-eyed and dazed, Tavien acknowledges that there have been more than enough ‘eye-opening moments’ in his first practices. He learned from veterans and coaches, absorbing tips and focusing on the intricacies of his work. Quarterbacks coach Billy Fessler mentions that, even with Tavien’s higher level of familiarity with Ohio State, he’s still learning the system in earnest now, and that’s a huge improvement. Tavien is dedicated to the process, regardless of whether he starts or is listed on the depth chart.
Ryan Days has been around long enough to realize that tossing a young quarterback into the fray too early can blow up in their faces. “Just learning everything,” St. Clair said. “I’ve got to understand why we’re doing the things we’re doing and what we are trying to do with it and how we’re going to do it and how we’re going to accomplish it. That’s still a learning thing for me… I’m really just trying to get better and amplify it and make it better.” Rather than getting impatient, Tavien took the process in. He’s been laser-trained on discovering the ‘why’ behind each play, not the ‘what’. He’s in the film room reviewing his reps and those of the veteran QBs.
He recognizes the Buckeyes are in ‘win now’ mode, with Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz handling most of the first-team reps. Coach Day went so far as to call it a ‘two-horse race’ for QB1, but he’s not slow to note Tavien’s natural ability and the necessity of more ‘at-bats’. Day’s solution? Study film, take mental reps, and approach every practice snap like gold. Tavien is accepting this role, improving each day, on and off the field. He’s not only learning to be a quarterback; he’s learning how to be a leader, a teammate, and a Buckeye.
What Ryan Day’s QB decision means for Buckeye Nation
Ryan Day is sitting on a quarterback goldmine with Julian Sayin. But with fall camp right around the corner, Day still hasn’t officially named a starter. That’s got the media and fans on edge, and some folks are warning Day about the consequences of dragging this out. “I’ve been around enough of these fake battles to know when it’s a fake one and when it’s a real one. There was a real one I covered. It was J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones. That was a real one, and it turned out to be an absolute dumpster fire. But this is a fake one, and it will be Julian Sayin at the end of the road.” On3’s Ari Wasserman clarifies on the Andy & Ari show.
Wasserman cautions that if Day isn’t prepared to call Sayin the man, it might send a message of doubt, not just to fans, but to recruits and the entire locker room. And in a program like Ohio State, where expectations are through the roof, even a hint of uncertainty can spin out of control quickly. But it’s not all about performance. In today’s college football landscape, the transfer portal is always waiting in the wings. If Day names Sayin too soon, he stands to lose their Lincoln Kienholz or possibly even Tavien St. Clair to the portal. So, some of the hold-up is simply smart roster management—keeping them all on the board for as long as possible.
Nevertheless, this delay in naming the starting quarterback of the Bama might have multiple repercussions: it might damage Sayin’s confidence, ignite locker room melodrama, or, worst of all, leave the Buckeyes ill-prepared for their toughest games, particularly against Michigan. Let us not forget, Coach Day’s record against Michigan is a thorn in his side (1–4), and the imperative to get past it at last is there. In the end, Ryan Day is playing chess, not checkers. He’s balancing the danger of jumping up too quickly to declare Sayin with waiting too long.
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