2024 Natty reigning champion, the Ohio State Buckeyes, have pulled in a major power move, ahead of the 2025 season. When it’s a couple of weeks from locking horns with the Longhorns, Ryan Day pulled a shocker, announcing the addition of an NFL pedigree at the Horseshoe Stadium. As the fall camp is underway, the Buckeyes will take crisp lessons directly from the NFL’s vault.

He’s got 3x Super Bowl rings stashed in his bag. And much to Ohio State’s delight, the 3x Super Bowl champion worked with Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator Matt Patricia during their NFL stint with the Patriots, under Bill Belichick, who is steering the Tar Heels presently. He will be joining the Buckeyes’ defensive staff in the capacity of an analyst. Yes, the NFL history element would have surely gotten him the eyeballs, but his proven chemistry with Patricia might be what hit the bull’s eye at Columbus. So, who is he?

That individual is none other than Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Josh Boyer. He kicked off his coaching career in 2000 as a graduate assistant and made quite a few stops at Bryant, Dayton, and Kent State. Before jumping to the NFL, he worked as the defensive coordinator at South Dakota. With the Patriots, he spent around six years, following his departure to the Detroit Lions. Well, former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ departure to Penn State left a lacuna, so Ryan Day acted quickly and hauled the man from the pro league itself.

The fall camp is underway, and the drills are already taking players to the trenches. So, what fuels the passion at Ohio Stadium? Perhaps, the program rivalries is what gets the blood pumping. Ohio State will begin its season squaring off against the Texas Longhorns. A program with which they have locked horns only thrice, but it keeps the Buckeyes Nation eager, keeps their eyeballs glued to The Game. I mean, Texas leads the scoring board with 2-1. So, the Buckeyes ‘ frustration makes sense. Nevertheless, Day acknowledges and appreciates the beast. “I like the edginess of this group; And we certainly know in this first game (that) we got a monster, so we have to make sure that every single day, every play, every meeting, is on point going into this first game,” Day said of the Texas Longhorns.

And with Archrival Michigan, the adrenaline is already pumping at Columbus. Someone asked Ryan Day, “How do you beat Michigan? Day replied with “Score more points than them,” (per Ari Wasserman’s tweet.) Blunt, straight, calculated reply. Ryan Day I mean, if you look closely, it even Ryan Day must have gotten it straight to his heart, considering that since he took the reins from Urban Meyer, he didn’t lose a single home game except ‘that team up North’ (2021).

Yes, Ryan Day is prepping well for the 2025 season, but what about the QB1 battle? Has it solved yet? When is the final announcement?

QB1 battle lights up at Ryan Day’s Ohio  State

As of now, Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz are the top contenders. Sayin had been touted as the starter for a long time, but as it appears that Kienholz won’t go down without a fight. Lincoln wasn’t always a top pick, but his spring drills promised him a chance at the coveted spot. “There were times this spring that he felt Kienholz was a little bit ahead of Julian.”

The battle’s been on for around six months, and Ryan Day knows he can’t stretch it forever. And now, the contenders have got less than ten days to prove their mettle. At the Big Ten Media Days, Ryan Day told the press. “I’d like to see them continue to compete throughout this week, maybe into next week. But you’d like to have an idea of who that guy’s going to be for at least a couple of weeks heading into the first game.” Adding onto that note, Day is hosting a press conference on August 18.

Julian’ arm strenth’s what made him popular at Buckeyes roster. Meanwhile, Lincoln is a multi-sport athlete, dabbling in basketball, baseball, and football. So, who it’s going to be? A former five-star No. 1 Class of 2024 recruit or a four-star multi-sport recruit, brimming with potential, waiting for a chance. “I’ve been in the offense for three years now, so it’s something that I think just more time, more reps, and film study, it’s helped me get better,” Lincoln said.

But not everything is merry in the Buckeyes’ roster. Other players such as WR Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate are worried about the constant switch in QB roles. The constant switch hinders the chemistry build-up between the QB and its wide receiver. “It’s just hard to get a drive rolling when you’ve got the constant quarterback switching. It’s been proven that whenever there are two quarterbacks, it’s hard to get the offense rolling,” said Tate. Spring drills got Lincoln the momentum, Can he seal the deal during fall camp? Let us know in the comments.