Ohio State Buckeyes’ Coach Ryan Day Gives Update on Quarterback Battle

The Buckeyes still have ways to go to decide their fall starter.

Devin Brown sat behind C.J. Stroud and Kyle McCord the past two years, but he may get his chance this year. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA

The five quarterbacks still remain for the Buckeyes.

Head coach Ryan Day spoke on the state of the quarterback battle post-Spring Game on 97.1 The Fan Wednesday.

Day said there’s no deadline but it’s “not ideal” for the quarterback situation to run into the season like it did last year.

Will Howard transferred from Kansas State with hopes of taking the QB1 spot in Columbus. / Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch /

A sure QB1 was not finalized until after Week 2 of the 2023 season — through the entire offseason and the first few weeks of the season, Kyle McCord and Devin Brown had a neck-and-neck competition.

Day said he hopes these quarterbacks — Brown, Air Noland, Julian Sayin, Will Howard and Lincoln Kienholz — do have a healthy competition to determine the starter.

“If you want to come to Ohio State, you want to compete,” Day said.

With a longer 16-game schedule for the upcoming season, Day added that he needs to figure out who will make up the group of top competitors.

“We don’t have time to not play the best players,” Day said.

Brown surely has the most experience with the Buckeyes after spending his first three years in Columbus, followed by the now-sophomore Kienholz, but the Buckeyes have welcomed Howard from Kansas State and brought in Noland and Sayin as top recruits.

The redshirt junior Brown threw the only passing touchdown for the Scarlet team in the Spring Game, while Sayin led the way with 85 yards.

Day said more than anything, he wants his quarterbacks to improve and have the mindset that they are improving.

“The most important thing about the quarterback’s room is they have to feel they’re getting better, that they’re getting developed,” Day said.

Until then, Day is preparing to finalize his full roster ahead of the start of summer practice.

“We’re probably about a week or two away from having an exact feel for who our team’s going to be.”