Ohio State’s backup quarterback could earn snaps in the College Football Playoff: Hey, Stefan!

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State shot capped nan 1986 play pinch its first-ever travel to nan Cotton Bowl, and nan Buckeyes didn’t return to that postseason crippled until 2017.

Under coach Ryan Day, things person been overmuch different.

OSU will play successful nan Cotton Bowl connected Wednesday for nan 3rd consecutive season. It vanished a disappointing 2023 run pinch a nonaccomplishment against Missouri successful Dallas earlier beating Texas successful nan CFP semifinals past play and facing Miami successful this year’s quarterfinals.

Ahead of a return to a now-familiar venue for Ohio State, Buckeye Talk Subtext subscribers submitted their astir pressing questions related to nan program. OSU hit newsman Stefan Krajisnik provided answers.

• Ohio State’s Cotton Bowl matchup against Miami mightiness unleash its astir explosive weapon: Outrageous Predictions
• Ohio State has a limb it’s been redeeming each season, and are nan Buckeyes fresh to unleash it again?
• What’s astatine liking for Ohio State and Ryan Day successful nan College Football Playoff?
• The Key to Shattering Miami’s Offense Is Hiding successful Plain Sight

Will Ohio State revive nan Lincoln Kienholz package successful nan CFP? — 513 area code

Ohio State has experimented pinch typical packages for backup backmost Lincoln Kienholz this season. At its core, nan packages are designed to bring a dual-threat action into nan game, forcing defenses to deliberation astir a skillset different from Julian Sayin’s.

While intriguing, it was adjacent to mobility really often those plays would get called successful meaningful games. Entering nan CFP, it has been sparse.

However, Ohio State tipped its manus a spot successful its Nov. 29 triumph astatine Michigan. During a goal-to-go situation, Kienholz started to trot onto nan section but returned to nan sideline aft a ruling was changed.

Kienholz didn’t play against Indiana nan pursuing week successful nan Big Ten Championship Game — a title that saw Ohio State struggle successful nan reddish zone.

“Yes, because what we were doing didn’t work,” Day said erstwhile asked if Kienholz should’ve been utilized against nan Hoosiers. “So past erstwhile you look backmost connected it, you say, ‘Yeah, that’s astir apt thing that we should person done.’”

Will Chris Henry Jr. commencement arsenic a freshman conscionable arsenic Jeremiah Smith did? — 614 area code

Ohio State is expected to person Jeremiah Smith and Brandon Inniss backmost adjacent play while Carnell Tate will apt state for nan NFL draft, leaving 1 starting receiver spot open.

Incoming freshman Chris Henry Jr. — nan nation’s top-rated receiver successful nan 2026 class, according to nan 247Sports Composite rankings — could compete for it. However, moreover Smith, nan second-best enlistee successful OSU history, had to gain his starting spot.

Barring immoderate transportation portal departures, which could hap pinch receivers coach Brian Hartline leaving for South Florida, Ohio State will person Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter backmost adjacent season.

Both had spurts this twelvemonth wherever they showed they could commencement aft different offseason of development. However, they’ve besides been inconsistent.

Graham has struggled to gain playing clip while Porter has battled injuries arsenic a existent freshman.

If Henry comes to Ohio State and quickly shows maturation betwixt outpouring believe and preseason camp, he could find himself pursuing successful Smith’s footsteps.

Ohio State shot hit writer