Overview
- Kienholz said he will remain with the Buckeyes throughout their College Football Playoff run, which opens Wednesday against Miami at AT&T Stadium.
- He acknowledged he is considering entering the transfer portal to secure game reps that align with his NFL goals, saying he has discussed the possibility with coaches.
- Ohio State created situational packages for Kienholz this season and nearly used him in a goal-to-go spot at Michigan, but he did not play in the Big Ten title game.
- Ryan Day later said not deploying Kienholz against Indiana, where the offense struggled in the red zone, was likely a mistake.
- Kienholz battled Julian Sayin for the 2025 starting job before Sayin won it and became a Heisman finalist, leaving a narrow path to consistent snaps at Ohio State after Kienholz’s emergency Cotton Bowl appearance as a 2023 true freshman.