Lincoln Kienholz has waited patiently for the starting gig for three years. However, with a stacked QB room at Ohio State, that opportunity remained elusive. Looking for greener pastures, he entered the portal. Now, the former five-star recruit has finally found a new home.

On Saturday, On3‘s Hayes Fawcett reported that Lincoln Kienholz has committed to the Louisville Cardinals. Within 20 hours of entering the transfer portal, he is already headed to HC Jeff Brohm’s program. Notably, this is the team’s third straight quarterback to leave for an ACC school, with Kyle McCord transferring to Syracuse in 2024 and Devin Brown moving to California in January last year.

But Lincoln’s decision to transfer never really came off as a surprise. OSU’s QB room is stacked. Fall camp before the 2025 season saw him face off against Julian Sayin for the QB1 gig, but he was edged out. While Kienholz was reportedly promised playing time, he ended up with limited reps throughout the season instead, a reality that would’ve proved counterproductive for the signal-caller.

“I’ve definitely had conversations,” Lincoln Kienholz said on Cotton Bowl media day. “I’m not 100% sure, but my goal is to go to the NFL, and in order to do that, you gotta play. So I’ve had conversations with Coach Day and also with Coach Fessler a little bit about it.

“It’s been a blessing the past three years just to learn under him, learn his scheme and learn his offense. It’s going to help me for my career.”

But despite getting little action, Kienholz still showed potential, completing 11 of 14 passes (78.6 per cent) for 139 yards and one touchdown. The quarterback also rushed for 66 yards in 2025 and scored two touchdowns in seven games, mostly being used as a runner in short-yardage situations. However, given the intense competition raging in Columbus, it was highly unlikely he would have advanced further in his role.

Now, with two years of eligibility, he heads to a roster that is already going through a quarterback crisis of sorts, which begs the question…

Can Lincoln Kienholz earn a QB1 gig?

Kienholz might be closer to becoming a starter than one might think.

The Cardinals concluded their 2025 season with a 9-4 record. However, the roster couldn’t escape a mass exodus. About 18 scholarship players have entered the portal, putting Jeff Brohm and the staff scrambling to replenish those depleted ranks.

Among the worst-hit positions has been on the QB front. Starter Miller Moss, who threw for 2,679 yards and 16 touchdowns in his lone season for the team, has exhausted his eligibility. To add to the woes, Deuce Adams and Brady Allen have entered the portal. Mason Mims soon followed suit, leaving true freshman Briggs Cherry as the only scholarship QB on the roster.

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No wonder the Cardinals were at the top of the list for Lincoln Kienholz.