It was 2018. Urban Meyer had a major choice to make. He had Dwayne Haskins, fresh off a win after rescuing Ohio State against Michigan on one side. Joe Burrow was on the other, coming off a broken hand. It was a head-scratching QB1 battle that often lead teams to stretch competitions into fall to keep everyone in the room. But the former Buckeye coach didn’t. 

“You’ll see teams do this, hold off on naming a starter,” Urban Meyer said on The Triple Option. “Because the other guy leaves. So you’ll see a lot of people say, we’re gonna hold on, we’re gonna announce it during training camp. And they probably in their mind know who the quarterback is. I did not wanna do that to Joe Burrow. He deserved the opportunity if he wanted to transfer. But normally, people hold on because they wanna keep them both.”

That decision might have cost Urban Meyer big time but it helped Joe Burrow to thrive in the game. But the choice came down after the Ohio State staff went full detail mode, charting every competitive throw. And after each practice, they met, reviewed, and debated and even after all that, it was still close. That’s what makes the final call even more telling. 

Urban Meyer picked Dwayne Haskins and it paid off in immediate terms because he had a great 2018 season. He set Ohio State records with 50 touchdown passes. But the thing about his QB1 decision was also about what it allowed Joe Burrow to do next. 

Once the decision came, Joe Burrow had clarity to decide his next steps. So he took the path forward and transferred to LSU and what followed still feels unreal. After a solid 2018, he delivered a historic 2019 season with 60 touchdowns, a Heisman Trophy, and a national championship run that turned him into a college football icon. Then came the next step when he became the No. 1 overall pick to the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020. 

Urban Meyer didn’t lose Burrow by accident. He let him go on purpose and that’s a distinction modern college football still struggles to accept. Now, seven years later, QB rooms are being managed more cautiously. Coaches see the competition as the force that pushes QBs to their fullest potential, even if they already have their main guy in mind. That may be efficient in a team POV but it gives mixed signals to those players who are trying to decide their future based on the decision. 

No QB drama at Ohio State in 2026

At Ohio State, there’s no second guessing about who the starter is for 2026. Julian Sayin will re-attempt a Heisman season after his breakout 2025 season, leading the nation with a 77% completion rate. Behind him, Tavien St. Clair is developing as the clear successor. He impressed during the 2026 Spring Game, showing he can work well with freshman WR Chris Henry Jr. But outside of Columbus, some teams are exactly living Urban Meyer’s observation.  

At Alabama, the QB situation is anything but settled. Austin Mack brings experience and patience. But then, Keelon Russell didn’t arrive as a 5-star in 2025, the No. 2 QB, to sit another year again. Kalen DeBoer has no clear timeline nor decision. So the Tide’s QB1 battle could be stretching into camp. And at Tennessee, with Joey Aguilar ineligible for 2026, the competition is wide open between Ryan Staub, George MacIntyre, and Faizon Brandon. 

That’s the modern trade-off. Hold onto depth, delay the decision, and hope it works out. Urban Meyer chose the opposite years ago, choosing clarity, even when it cost him. And in doing so, he didn’t just shape Ohio State’s future, he helped create one of college football’s greatest stories.