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Ohio State redshirt sophomore quarterback Lincoln Kienholz plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after three seasons with the Buckeyes. Kienholz’s family told On3’s Pete Nakos.
Kienholz joined the program as a late addition to the team’s 2023 class, flipping from Washington a week before National Signing Day in December. But he was stuck behind starters Kyle McCord, Will Howard and ultimately Julian Sayin, prompting his decision to look for greener pastures elsewhere.
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Across three years in Columbus, he appeared in 12 games while completing 21 of 36 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown. As a true freshman in 2023, he filled in for McCord and injured backup Devin Brown in Ohio State’s Cotton Bowl matchup with Missouri, finishing the game 6 of 17 for 86 yards.
Each of his appearances thereafter were as a reserve, including seven games this season as a backup to Sayin.
Kienholz, a native of Pierre (S.D.), will have two years of eligibility remaining after redshirting in 2024.
As a high school prospect, he was tabbed as the nation’s No. 205 overall recruit and No. 15 quarterback, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services.
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With Kienholz off to the portal, Ohio State is poised to return both Sayin and five-star freshman Tavien St. Clair next season, and the Buckeyes also signed Mission Viejo (Calif.) three-star passer Luke Fahey as part of their 2026 class.
Scouting Lincoln Kienholz out of high school
Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power wrote this about Kienholz as a high schooler:
“He is a prolific, accurate passer with a strong multi-sport background and athletic profile. Has unverified height and weight – listed at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds but looks to be shorter. One of the best high school athletes to come out of South Dakota in recent memory. A two-time state champion quarterback and all-state performer in three sports – football, basketball and baseball. Among the more productive quarterbacks in the 2023 cycle. Passed for 3,359 yards and 37 touchdowns against 6 interceptions and rushed for 1,165 yards and 12 more scores as a junior. Off to an even faster start as a senior. Shows the ability to place the football into tight windows at multiple levels of the field. Downfield arm strength appears to be good, with throws on video that travel approximately 60 yards in the air. Can change his arm slot to fit throws in windows over the middle of the field. A loose, fluid mover in the pocket and as a runner. A true do-it-all player who also plays defense at times for his high school. One of the top high school basketball players in South Dakota, averaging 19.9 points per game as a junior, while showcasing above-the-rim bounce. Will see a considerable spike in competition at the college level relative to his other blue-chip peers. Is typically the best athlete on the field at the high school level. May need time to adjust to the increased speed of the game once in college and is more of a projection relative to other quarterbacks due to the competition he faces in South Dakota.”
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