Top quarterback recruit dismisses Ohio State from his recruitment for the time being following Chip Kelly’s departure
Under Ryan Day, the quarterback position has normally been a very successful one for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Ohio State is likely to turn the keys over to Julian Sayin in 2025 now that Will Howard is off to the NFL. Ohio State has their quarterback after him ideally in freshman Tavien St. Clair. However, […]
Under Ryan Day, the quarterback position has normally been a very successful one for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Ohio State is likely to turn the keys over to Julian Sayin in 2025 now that Will Howard is off to the NFL. Ohio State has their quarterback after him ideally in freshman Tavien St. Clair.
However, the 2026 recruitment for a quarterback is a bit of a mystery for the Buckeyes. Multiple of the top quarterbacks are already committed and others have clear leaders. Ohio State recently visited the No. 5 quarterback in the class Brady Smigiel, but it was all for none.
Chip Kelly visited Smigiel out on the West Coast just before he took the job with the Las Vegas Raiders to be their offensive coordinator. Following Kelly’s departure from Ohio State, Smigiel has told On3 that Ohio State is off of the table for now.
“It was coach Kelly from Ohio State, but now he got the Raiders job,” Smigiel said. “It’s kind of off the table right now. But I would say Washington, UCLA, Auburn, South Carolina, and Michigan [are in the mix].”
Now, this is not to say that Ohio State could not get back into the recruitment. If the Buckeyes value Smigiel as a potential fit in the class, he will still be recruited with someone else taking the place of Kelly. Kelly didn’t recruit a ton at Ohio State, but the little he did do looks to have left an impact.
Smigiel is a 6-foot-5, 205-pound quarterback from Newbury Park, California. Ohio State has just four players committed so far in 2026 and the class is headlined by five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr.
Since Kelly’s departure, Ohio State has promoted Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator and he will call plays. Tight ends coach Keenan Bailey is now the co-offensive coordinator for the Buckeyes while still coaching tight ends.
Ohio State needs to key in on a quarterback in the class of 2026 unless they opt to take a transfer. Under Day, the Buckeyes have taken a QB every class.
