“If you want to come to Ohio State, you want to compete”: Ryan Day gets real on Buckeyes' QB competition ahead of 2024 season

For the second consecutive offseason, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is navigating a legitimate quarterback competition as he gears up for a championship run to silence his critics. During an interview on 97.1 The Fan, Day said that while there is no set deadline for naming a starter, waiting until Week 2 like last season is "not ideal."

The departure of 2023 starter Kyle McCord, who transferred to Syracuse after a rocky season, has opened up a race among five quarterbacks: returning backups Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz, true freshmen Air Noland and Julian Sayin and Kansas State transfer Will Howard. Ryan Day highlighted the importance of this competition, saying:

“If you want to come to Ohio State, you want to compete.”

The most experienced player on the Buckeyes team is Brown, a redshirt junior, who has been in the program for three years now. On the other hand, junior Kienholz, No. 11 in the Class of 2023 according to 247Sports, is only a freshman in his college life. True freshman Noland was ranked No. 7 and Sayin No. 3 in the Class of 2024.

Will Howard, initially a three-star recruit, was elevated to a four-star transfer by 247Sports after an impressive season at Kansas State. He threw for 2,643 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

The competition is heating up as Brown, who threw the only passing touchdown for the Scarlet Team in the spring game, vies against Sayin, who led with 85 yards. Day expressed his hope for a healthy competition, saying:

“The most important thing about the quarterback’s room is they have to feel they’re getting better, that they’re getting developed.”

With a longer 16-game schedule ahead, Ryan Day stressed the urgency of identifying the best players and aims to finalize the roster soon.

“We don’t have time to not play the best players.......We’re probably about a week or two away from having an exact feel for who our team’s going to be.”

Ryan Day's transparent approach keeps Ohio State competitive

In the evolving landscape of NIL deals and the transfer portal, Ohio State’s Ryan Day has proven to be highly effective. Although the team has seen 26 players depart since the season ended, the majority were role players or reserves, with only six leaving during the spring transfer window.

Ryan Day highlighted the importance of transparency on the "Morning Juice" podcast, saying:

“It starts in recruiting and continues through. During spring practice, you have to communicate with these guys about where they stand to avoid any surprises.”

By consistently informing players about their status, areas for improvement and future expectations, Day ensures they are always in the loop.

“You’re constantly talking to these guys, giving them feedback on where they stand, things they’re doing well, things they need to improve on, and what they can expect going into next year,"Day said.

Under Ryan Day, the Buckeyes have an incredible 56-7 overall record. They have played and won most of the championship games in the last four years, including two Big Ten titles (2019 and 2020), the Sugar Bowl (2020) and the Rose Bowl (2021).

His win/loss record against the AP top-10 and top-five ranks are 8-7 and 2-5, respectively, while his winning rate in bowl games is 2-4 against ranked and 2-3 in the Cotton Bowl.