COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said the Buckeyes are still not ready to name a starting quarterback coming out of Saturday’s spring game.
Kansas State transfer Will Howard is battling junior Devin Brown and five-star freshman Julian Sayin, who originally signed with Alabama before enrolling at Ohio State. Sophomore Lincoln Kienholz and freshman Air Noland also got snaps in the spring game.
Howard, who started 12 games for Kansas State last season, completed 9 of 13 passes for 77 yards Saturday. Brown tossed the only touchdown pass. Sayin finished with a game-high passing 85 yards, but also threw a pick-six.
Kelly said the coaching staff would review film of the spring game and continue their evaluation of the quarterback competition, but added the Buckeyes didn’t have “an exact timetable” of when they would pick a starter.
“You always want to do it earlier,” said Kelly, who left his job as UCLA’s head coach in February to call plays for the Buckeyes. “But I also believe every time I’ve been involved in this, it kind of happens organically and authentically because the players know. … Players understand who they feel is the guy. And most of the time the decision is very obvious.”
Kyle McCord, who started at quarterback for the Buckeyes last season, transferred to Syracuse in December.