Ohio State’s football team has made another significant move in bolstering its quarterback room for the 2025 season with the addition of Eli Brickhandler, a transfer from Houston Christian University. The Buckeyes’ coaching staff has shown an eagerness to strengthen the quarterback depth chart for the upcoming season, and this move signals their desire to bring in more competition and ensure that they have multiple strong options at the most crucial position on the field. Brickhandler’s commitment adds to an already talented group of quarterbacks at Ohio State, a unit that will be watched closely as the team looks to continue its dominance in the Big Ten and on the national stage.
For Eli Brickhandler, this is an exciting new chapter in his football career. Hailing from Houston Christian, formerly known as Houston Baptist University, Brickhandler had shown promise during his time with the Huskies. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound quarterback was known for his strong arm and ability to make accurate throws down the field. Despite playing in a smaller football program, Brickhandler had put together an impressive résumé and showed that he had the skills to play at a higher level. His decision to transfer to a powerhouse like Ohio State speaks to his confidence in his own abilities and his belief that he can contribute to one of the top programs in college football.
This move also highlights the recruiting strategy of Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and his staff. The Buckeyes have established themselves as a premier destination for top talent, particularly at the quarterback position. Over the past few years, they’ve been home to some of the most elite quarterbacks in college football, including Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields, and C.J. Stroud. These players have helped elevate Ohio State to national prominence, and Day has been intentional about continuing this trend by bringing in top-tier quarterbacks year after year. Brickhandler, while not yet a household name in the same vein as the other quarterbacks mentioned, is seen as someone who could develop into a reliable backup or even push for a starting role in the coming seasons.
The addition of a fourth scholarship quarterback to Ohio State’s roster brings with it a unique set of dynamics. With the likes of current quarterback Kyle McCord, who has been the Buckeyes’ starting signal caller for the past season, along with highly regarded prospects like Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz, there’s already a wealth of talent in the quarterback room. The presence of Brickhandler provides additional competition, and it will be fascinating to see how he fits into the existing quarterback battle. Having a deep and competitive quarterback room is crucial for a program like Ohio State, where expectations are always high, and the margin for error is slim. Injuries, changes in performance, and other factors can drastically alter the trajectory of a season, so having multiple capable quarterbacks is essential to sustaining success.
For Brickhandler, the path to playing time at Ohio State will not be easy, but the challenge of competing for a starting job on such a prestigious team could be part of the allure for him. There are certainly hurdles to overcome, with McCord already entrenched as a starter and the younger quarterbacks like Brown and Kienholz receiving significant attention. Brickhandler’s best chance to contribute will likely come as a backup initially, learning from the veteran quarterbacks ahead of him while continuing to hone his craft in practice. Given the high-level competition he’ll face in Ohio State’s quarterback room, he will need to demonstrate exceptional work ethic and an eagerness to improve in order to earn a meaningful role on the team.
In many ways, the move to Ohio State mirrors the trend we’ve seen across college football in recent years, where quarterbacks are becoming more fluid in their decisions to transfer schools. The NCAA transfer portal has opened up opportunities for players to seek new challenges and better opportunities, and Brickhandler’s decision to leave Houston Christian for Ohio State is a prime example of this trend. For quarterbacks, the decision to transfer is particularly impactful because the position is so high-profile and central to a team’s success. While Brickhandler may not have the national recognition of some of Ohio State’s other quarterbacks, he brings with him a skill set that caught the attention of the Buckeyes’ coaching staff. His ability to make all the throws and his physical attributes suggest that he could one day be a contributor at the Power Five level, and Ohio State sees potential in him to develop further under their guidance.
The competition for quarterback positions at Ohio State has always been fierce, and it seems that trend will continue with Brickhandler’s arrival. In recent seasons, the Buckeyes have seen a fair share of quarterback battles, with players like Fields and Stroud competing for starting roles before ultimately becoming franchise quarterbacks for the program. The stakes in these competitions are always high, as the quarterback is typically the focal point of the offense, and the ability to manage the game, make clutch plays, and lead the team is of paramount importance. Each player vying for the position at Ohio State will need to prove that they can handle the pressure and perform at the highest level. For Brickhandler, his time at Houston Christian was valuable in terms of experience, but he now enters a new world of college football with greater expectations and competition than ever before. It will be a challenge for him to prove that he can succeed in such a high-pressure environment, but that’s a challenge he seems ready to embrace.
One of the most interesting aspects of Brickhandler’s commitment to Ohio State is how it reflects the program’s ongoing commitment to building depth and ensuring that they have talent at every position. Quarterback, being such an important and high-profile position, naturally draws the most attention. However, the way in which Ohio State has carefully built its quarterback room speaks to their overall philosophy of recruiting and development. By adding Brickhandler, the Buckeyes are not only preparing for the future but are also fostering an environment of healthy competition that will push each player to continually elevate their game. This is an approach that has worked well for Ohio State in the past, and there’s no reason to believe it won’t continue to pay dividends going forward.
Looking ahead, the quarterback position at Ohio State is sure to be a focal point of discussion as the team prepares for the 2025 season. With McCord, Brown, Kienholz, and now Brickhandler, the Buckeyes will have an abundance of talent at the most important position on the field. The competition for the starting job will undoubtedly be fierce, but it will also provide a level of depth and flexibility that can only benefit the team in the long run. Whether Brickhandler ultimately becomes the starting quarterback or a valuable backup, his decision to join Ohio State reflects the program’s unwavering commitment to excellence and its desire to build a roster that can contend for championships year after year. For Brickhandler, the opportunity to compete at one of the top programs in the country represents a tremendous opportunity to prove himself and further develop his skills, and for Ohio State, it adds another layer of depth and competition to an already talented roster.
The 2025 season promises to be an exciting one for Ohio State, and the addition of Eli Brickhandler only adds to the intrigue surrounding the quarterback position and the future of the program. As the Buckeyes continue to recruit top-tier talent and build for the future, it will be fascinating to see how the quarterback battle shakes out and who ultimately earns the right to lead the offense. Regardless of who ends up taking the snaps, Ohio State will be well-positioned to continue its dominance in college football, and Eli Brickhandler will be an important part of that journey, contributing to a program that consistently competes at the highest level.
