The Ohio State Buckeyes have a much different looking team than they had a year ago, and that includes the backup quarterback spot where a competition is still ongoing between second-year quarterback Tavien St. Clair and freshman Luke Fahey. 

That battle exists because Louisville senior quarterback Kienholz left for the transfer portal back in the winter after three seasons in Columbus.

Kienholz served as the backup to Julian Sayin in 2025, playing in seven games with 14 pass attempts for 139 yards and a passing touchdown. He could have transferred away after his first or second year at Ohio State, but he stayed and competed for the starting job last year with Sayin before eventually settling into the backup role.

Lincoln Kienholz has a chance to shine right away at Louisville

A former four-star recruit in the class of 2023, Kienholz now has a great opportunity in front of him with Louisville, where he is the starting quarterback and has a chance to make a national name for himself right out of the gates. He’ll be playing Ole Miss on the road in Week 1, a game that could generate serious buzz for the Cardinals.

If Louisville can find a way to pull an upset, there’s going to be a lot of talk around them being a potential College Football Playoff team because their schedule isn’t an overly tough one. They play SMU and Florida State, but other than those two games, they should be favored in just about every matchup. I’m not convinced they can’t win both of those games either.

Jeff Brohm Is excited about what Lincoln Kienholz brings to the offense

The Cardinals are going to have a potentially improved offense this year with Kieenholtz bringing a different element that head coach Jeff Brohm is excited about: his dual-threat ability.

“I think he brings us some dimensions and skills that we have not had before,” Brohm said recently. “He’s a great athlete. He can run. He can extend plays. He can throw on the run. And he enjoys doing that.”

Kienholz transferred away from Ohio State to get a chance to be the starter somewhere else, and he found that chance with Louisville. Right out of the gates in Week 1, he’s going to have a chance to put himself in the national spotlight in one of the better Week 1 games the college football world will have a chance to take in. 

It’s going to be a great opportunity for the former Buckeye who still has plenty of fans in Columbus.