Ryan Day’s QB1 race amounted to no less than a thriller. Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz battled it out over eight months in a highly anticipated saga. The second scrimmage over the weekend saw the potential glimpses, and eventually, Sayin’s consistency won him the coveted spot. “You see, there was a lot of growth made,” the HC said. So, that’s settled the QB1 dust at Columbus. On the heels of the development, one tight end has got a clear message aimed at Julian Sayin.

“Julian’s been great,” tight end Max Klare exuded confidence in the new leader in an interview with WBNS 10TV. “I mean, just his leadership overall has grown; he’s really taken it by the reins now, and you can feel that out of practice, so you know we’re really excited about Julian and what he can do for us.”

Max Klare is one of the key offensive weapons in Ryan Day’s arsenal. The Purdue transfer is part of a receiving core that includes the likes of Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and Brandon Inniss. Of course, he may not get the 51 receptions that he had for Purdue last year, but with defenses focusing on limiting Tate and Smith, the tight end can emerge as the ultimate winner of being part of an elite offense. The selection of Julian Sayin also shows that Ryan Day wants his QB to have that range.

That being said, Day does not imply that Lincoln will be on the sidelines; he will be a key element behind Sayin. The coaching roster has made it amply clear that they are going to require both of their quarterbacks, and Lincoln has taken the news very well.

“He knows in his heart he’s going to play this year, ” Ryan Day stated. “…and he will prepare to play in this game. I wouldn’t say he’s discouraged. The team knows we’re going to need him, and he knows. Excellent leadership on his end.”

But what’s the Buckeyes’ official quarterback depth chart? What if Julian Sayin gets injured? Well, Ryan Day does not issue depth charts. There is no official ranking of where the quarterbacks stand.

Behind Sayin and Kienholz, Day got five other quarterbacks lined up. They are graduate student Eli Brickhandler, senior Mason Maggs, freshman St. Clair, Trey Robinette, and Kolton Stover. Well, the freshman is indeed a prized player in Day’s roster, a five-star player who ranked No. 7 in the Class of 2025, and certainly showed impressive flashes during spring reps. Meanwhile, Stover, who is also the younger brother of tight end Cade Stover, and Robinette are walk-ons. Then comes Maggs, who is also a walk-on and has been with the program since 2022.

Jeremiah Smith’s public outcry over QB1 restlessness

It’s no surprise that Ryan Day knows how to give those jitters at Columbus. Last year as well, the QB1 battle between Will Howard and Devin Beat concluded in mid-August. Similar timings, just like this year. The only difference? Day made the decision before the second scrimmage took place.

Back in July, Smith had brushed off the QB1 question with, “It really doesn’t matter who is the quarterback.” But the stretched-out waiting period took its toll. The offense was uneasy, not because of a lack of skill sets, but rather the lack of time to build chemistry with the starting quarterback, who had yet to be named.

Reporter JBook of Bucknuts reported the uneasy development happening in Columbus. “Interesting comments from Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate on Big Ten Network. They said when the offense keeps rotating the QBs in Sayin and Kienholz, it makes it hard for the offense to get going and put drives together in practice; Whoever they choose will do well.”

Well, none of the QB1 contenders had much experience starting off. Although Lincoln boasts excellence in three sports, Julian is a more accurate passer, with 27 snaps over four games to his name. He completed 1 of 12 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown as a freshman last year.

Even ESPN’s Pete Thamel mulled over the urgency of the QB1 pick, for it would be the Longhorns, against whom the Buckeyes will open their season. And that is a big deal. “I think there’s a little bit of pressure to kind of pick a guy because, you know, you open with Texas, right?” Though the quarterback debate is over, the fandom is holding its breath for the roster lineup. Barely 10 days are left until the Buckeyes square off against the Longhorns. The only question? When will Ryan Day put an end to that anticipation?