Ohio State Buckeyes QB Lincoln Kienholz keeps it real when questioned about transfer portal possibility ahead of Cotton Bowl
There’s a chance that the Buckeyes’ backup quarterback leaves in the transfer portal.
It’s game day for the Ohio State Buckeyes as they’ll take on the Miami Hurricanes. If the Buckeyes can win the Cotton Bowl, they’ll play the winner of Georgia and Ole Miss. There’s another important factor that will come into play in the future.
The transfer portal will open on Friday, and teams remaining in the College Football Playoff will have to prepare for huge games while dealing with the portal. That also means that players on teams in the playoff will be entering the portal. Ohio State has had one declared entry so far with WR Bryson Rodgers, and he won’t be the last.
Lincoln Kienholz is weighing a transfer portal decision
One Buckeye who is weighing the portal is backup quarterback Lincoln Kienholz. Kienholz has spent three seasons with the Buckeyes and is in his first season as the backup. Kienholz battled for the job last offseason and through much of fall camp with Sayin before the Buckeyes named their starting quarterback.
“I’ve definitely had conversations, yet I’m not 100% sure. My goal is to go to the NFL, and in order to do that, you’ve got to play,” Kienholz said. “I’ve had conversations with Coach Day and also with [quarterbacks coach Billy] Fessler a little bit about it.”
Ohio State’s future at quarterback is rather clear
Kienholz has completed 21-of-36 passes for 250 passing yards and a touchdown during his Ohio State career in 12 total appearances. The junior quarterback has appeared in seven games this season and has completed 11-of-14 passes in clean-up duty. Kienholz completed 10-of-22 passes for 111 yards as a freshman during the 2023 season. He is an athletic quarterback who brings running ability, but he’ll never be the Buckeyes’ starter.
Ohio State already has its next guy after Sayin on the roster with true freshman Tavien St. Clair, a former five-star quarterback recruit. St. Clair is the No. 3 quarterback this season as a true freshman, but is expected to slot into Sayin’s backup next year.
The Bellefontaine, Ohio, native would then slide into a starting spot during the 2027 season as a redshirt sophomore. Kienholz is in a similar situation to Devin Brown’s last year, before we saw him transfer to California. I expect that Kienholz will find a landing spot where he can get onto the field for 2026.
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