Louisville Cardinals land ex-Ohio State QB in transfer portal

Jeff Brohm’s Louisville Cardinals have secured a notable addition at quarterback, landing former Ohio State signal-caller Lincoln Kienholz out of the NCAA transfer portal. The move comes at a pivotal time for the Cardinals as they reshape their offense heading into the 2026 season.

Kienholz, a former Pierre standout, spent the last three seasons in Columbus as part of Ohio State’s quarterback room. While he never became a full-time starter, he provided valuable depth behind Julian Sayin and saw limited action across multiple seasons.

His decision to move on followed Ohio State’s College Football Playoff quarterfinal loss to Miami, a 24-14 defeat that ended the Buckeyes’ title defense after earning a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed.

“Ohio State transfer QB Lincoln Kienholz has Committed to Louisville, On3Sports has learned.” On3’s Hayes Fawcett wrote on X, formerly Twitter

During his time at Ohio State, Kienholz appeared in six games this season, completing 11 of 14 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for two scores. Across his Buckeyes career, he totaled 250 passing yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions, showing efficiency in limited opportunities.

Louisville enters the offseason with major turnover at quarterback. Last season’s starter, Miller Moss, has exhausted his eligibility, while backup Deuce Adams has entered the transfer portal. That opened a clear path for Kienholz, who committed just two days after entering the portal and is expected to compete for and potentially claim the starting job.

The Cardinals finished the 2025 season with a 9-4 overall record, including a 4-4 mark in ACC play, and remained in the conference title picture until late-season stumbles. Head coach Jeff Brohm, now entering his fourth season at Louisville with a 28-12 overall record, has emphasized stability and development at the QB position.

Kienholz now joins a program positioned to contend again in the ACC, with an opportunity to finally showcase his abilities as a starter. If he capitalizes on that chance, Louisville’s portal gamble could pay off quickly — both for the Cardinals’ win column and Kienholz’s long-term professional aspirations.

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