He was speaking with the local media for the first time since emerging from the spring transfer portal window last month with all five scholarship quarterbacks still on the roster in an era when players frequently look for greener pastures (or at least a clearer path to playing time).
This time a year ago, Ohio State had four scholarship quarterbacks: Kyle McCord, Devin Brown, Tristan Gebbia and Lincoln Kienholz.
McCord transferred to Syracuse in the offseason, and Gebbia, who was brought in as a grad transfer from Oregon State as an extra arm and player-coach more than as a candidate for real playing time, has graduated.
They’ve been replaced by Will Howard, a senior transfer from Kansas State, and true freshmen Julian Sayin and Air Noland while Brown and Kienholz are still around.
The first-year guys might be a long way from playing, but Day has indicated more than once he is concerned about making it all the way through the season without needing to use two or more signal-callers because of health.
“We’re excited about the guys we have,” he said. “I don’t think it’s been any mystery that we plan on running the quarterback more this year, so having depth is going to be critical.
“It’s not going to be the No. 1 thing we do, but we want to make sure we have that depth in our room. I think we’ve done that at a high level, and we’re excited about the entire room.”
None of the quarterbacks wowed in the spring game, but veterans Howard and Brown only played one half, and they are both built to run the ball if necessary.
Howard got the first snap with the first team and ended up completing 9 of 13 passes for 77 yards with a long of 18.
Brown completed 5 of 7 passes for 66 yards and threw the only touchdown pass of the game, a slant to walk-on receiver Brennan Schramm.
Kienholz was 10-for-17 passing for 71 yards with a pair of interceptions, while Sayin went 10 for 17 for 85 yards and an interception and Noland was 5-for-7 for 47 yards.
The Buckeyes will start preseason practice in about seven weeks.
They open the season at home against Akron on Aug. 31.
“June is a big month for us,” Day said. “Summer classes have started. Summer workouts are in full swing.”
While they figure to be stout on defense with more than a handful of veterans opting to return for their senior seasons, questions still surround an offense that will have a new quarterback, new starting tight end and new No. 1 receiver.
The Buckeyes do return four starters on the offensive line and expect to have one of if not the best running back duos in the nation in senior TreVeyon Henderson and Mississippi transfer Quinshon Judkins.
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