Rivals rankings director and national transfer portal analyst Adam Friedman has thoughts on Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, the upcoming quarterback transfer class and expectations for transfers next season.
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1. Ryan Day handled the quarterback situation correctly after last season.
The way last season ended for Ohio State made it easy for its fans to get onboard with head coach Ryan Day not guaranteeing incumbent starter Kyle McCord the starting spot this season.
Even though there was a protection breakdown, the interception McCord threw on the final drive against Michigan essentially sealed his fate. Ohio State needed a more mobile quarterback and that’s what it got in Will Howard.
Were the few changes in personnel on the offensive line from last season to this season that impactful? Maybe, but having a quarterback who can move around and buy himself time has made it much harder for defenses to affect the passing game and the stats back that up.
According to PFF, last year Ohio State allowed a total of 66 quarterback pressures but this season the Ohio State offensive line has allowed only 23 quarterback pressures.
Some would argue that it’s more important for a quarterback to not lose a game rather than be able to win a game.
Ohio State rarely asks its quarterback to go win a game so it is absolutely vital they don’t give a game away. What that means is quarterbacks can not turn the ball over and they must complete the easy passes.
According to PFF, Howard has a higher completion percentage (73.2) and lower percentage of turnover worthy plays (3.3) than McCord did last season (64.7 and 3.9).
We’ll see what the end result of this season will be but, as far as the quarterback decision goes, Day seems to have made the right call.
2. Who will be the top quarterback in the transfer portal this offseason?
This is always a fun debate. There aren’t any difference-making quarterbacks who have publicly declared they’ll enter the transfer portal yet but there are plenty who might end up entering the portal for one reason or another.
The one everybody is keeping their eye on is Florida’s DJ Lagway. Who knows how this season will finish for the Gators but head coach Billy Napier has his team playing better in recent weeks. All four of their next opponents are ranked in the top 20 of the AP Poll and three of them are in the top 10. If Florida pulls out a win or two, Napier could end up saving his job. If there is a coaching change and Lagway enters the portal, he has the inside track to the top quarterback ranking.
After Lagway, the picture gets a little murkier. Ohio State has four really talented quarterbacks backing up starter Will Howard right now and No. 1 prospect in the 2025 class Tavien St. Clair will join them when he graduates. At least one of the four currently on the roster – Devin Brown, Julian Sayin, Lincoln Kienholz and Air Noland – will find their way to the portal.
Texas A&M signal caller Marcel Reed is worth keeping an eye on. He performed very well while starter Conner Weigman was out with injury. In fact he played so well that many people believed he should remain the starter regardless of Weigman’s status. Head coach Mike Elko inserted Weigman back into the lineup once he was healthy and it seems like he’ll remain the starter for the Aggies.
Teams around the country would be all over Oklahoma quarterbacks Jackson Arnold and Michael Hawkins Jr. if they chose to transfer. The Sooners' offense has been a nightmare this season but there is no denying the talent Arnold and Hawkins bring to the field. Each would have plenty of options to choose from if they entered the portal.
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar has another year of eligibility so it will be interesting to see if he stays or goes to the NFL Draft. It will be interesting to see how his decision impacts the other quarterbacks on the roster. Beau Pribula has played significant time in a backup role and has the inside track to be the starter when Allar leaves. Will he wait another year if Allar decides to return? Talented quarterbacks such as Ethan Grunkemeyer and Jaxon Smolik will also have a decision to make.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck is off to the NFL after this year but next year’s starter will be Gunner Stockton, Ryan Puglisi or Jaden Rashada. Stockton will be a redshirt junior next year while Rashada will be a redshirt sophomore and Puglisi will be a redshirt freshman. One of these three will be the starter, the other will be the backup, and the third could end up in the transfer portal.
3. Transfers we expect big things from in year two.
Many of the top-ranked transfers from the 2024 cycle will be back next season for their team. They’ll be cornerstones of the team next year, not the new guy like this season. Here are five we expect will command national attention.
Caleb Downs: Downs may be an obvious answer but he’s also one of the right answers. The former Freshman All-American is performing well in his first year at Ohio State but he hasn’t played to his potential yet. Expectations for him are extremely high because everyone knows the type of impact he can make.
Julian Sayin: Another Ohio State player we have extremely high expectations for next season. Simply put, it would be a surprise if he wasn’t the starter next season. Early reports about Sayin from practice from inside Ohio State have been great.
Dante Moore: Moore played in nine games and started five for UCLA during the 2023 season then transferred to Oregon prior to this season knowing he would be the backup to Dillon Gabriel. He wanted a year to learn the system and be better prepared to start when his time came. The 2025 season is Moore’s time and we’re really excited to see what he can do.
Aidan Chiles: Chiles played in nine games at Oregon State in 2023 and then transferred to Michigan State ahead of this season, following his head coach Jonathan Smith. He’s been inconsistent and a little turnover prone this season but the talent is obvious and so is his improvement week-to-week. He could turn out to be the best quarterback in the Big Ten next season.
Keon Sabb: Sabb has been banged up this season but has still played well as a first-year starter in a new system. With a season under his belt in the SEC and a full offseason with the Crimson Tide, he should be one of Alabama's best players next season.
