Lincoln Kienholz plans to enter the transfer portal after he spent 2025 as the backup quarterback behind Julian Sayin.
Ohio State backup quarterback Lincoln Kienholz plans to put his name in the NCAA transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2.
Kienholz, a redshirt sophomore who has two more remaining years of eligibility, confirmed his intentions a day before the opening of the portal.
It was not an unexpected decision by Kienholz, who had been weighing a decision following conversations over his future with the coaches on the Buckeyes’ staff.
Kienholz made a push to start at quarterback for the Buckeyes last offseason, but lost out to redshirt freshman Julian Sayin following a months-long competition that lasted through preseason training camp.
In his first year behind center, Sayin blossomed into a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, an emergence that blocked Kienholz from climbing further on the depth chart.
During a media day ahead of the College Football Playoff quarterfinals on Dec. 29, Kienholz expressed a desire to find a starting opportunity in 2026.
“My goal is to play in the NFL one day, and in order to do that, you got to play,” Kienholz said.
Kienholz appeared in seven games as a backup in 2025 and completed 11 of 14 passes for 139 yards and one touchdown.
The Buckeyes also used his broad skill set, leaning on him to run the ball in certain short-yardage situations. He has 11 carries for 66 yards and two touchdowns.
Kienholz was a three-sport athlete in high school in South Dakota, also playing basketball and baseball before he signed with Ohio State. He was named the boys athlete of the year by USA TODAY in 2023.
The departure from Kienholz will mark the second straight year that the Buckeyes have lost their experienced backup quarterback to the portal.
Devin Brown transferred to California last winter after he had been the backup to Will Howard and Kyle McCord in 2024 and 2023.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at [email protected] and follow along on Bluesky, Instagram and X for more.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football QB Lincoln Kienholz plans to enter transfer portal
Category: General Sports
