Scarlet Sunrise: Ryan Day says newest Buckeyes QB Air Noland is 'just kind of a baller out there'

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Ryan Day says newest Buckeyes QB Air Noland is ‘just kind of a baller out there’

The Cotton Bowl is Devin Brown’s game. Except, Brown will still have to compete with soon-to-be redshirt freshman Lincoln Kienholz this offseason for the 2024 starting quarterback job. And Air Noland.

Don’t forget about the future early enrollee and the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 5 quarterback this cycle who just signed with the Buckeyes on Wednesday and who head coach Ryan Day described as “just kind of a baller out there” during his National Signing Day press conference.

Day emphasized that the four-star prospect’s athleticism pops on film. But Day got to see it up close while recruiting in the 2023 cycle. At the time, his staff was evaluating tight end Jelani Thurman, who also played at Langston Hughes in Fairburn, Georgia. Noland, Thurman and that offense led Langston Hughes to a state title in 2022 and set the state record for most points scored.

Noland clocked out that season with 4,095 passing yards, a 73.1% completion rate and a 55:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

“We were down there some. I got to see who he was and saw all the people in the area in the school and the coaches talk about what a great player he was, what a great leader he is, and it doesn’t take long,” Day explained. “When you talk to him, you recognize how mature he is and his approach.

“And thats a big part of it. So we just love that part of it. We feel like he’s got a really high ceiling when he gets here and looking forward to get to work with him soon.”

By the time Thurman committed in July 2022, though, Day, quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis and the Buckeyes already had their QB of the future. Back then, five-star Buford (Ga.) quarterback Dylan Raiola was an Ohio State pledge. Raiola ended up de-committing in December 2022 and then committing to Georgia before ultimately flipping to and signing with Nebraska.

There were just about four months between Raiola’s de-commitment and Noland’s commitment on April 8, 2023. Day was asked about that process Wednesday.

“I just think that the way things are now with recruiting,” he said. “There’s just a lot of twists and turns along the way. I just think about when — even five, six, seven, eight years ago, 10 years ago — somebody would commit, and the timing was their own, but then that was kind of it, you moved on.

“Now, there’s twists and turns along the way for a lot of different reasons. So you just have to work through those and figure out who’s the right guys for you at the time. And then fill your 85 [scholarships]. That’s what it is.”

Every quarterback signee’s path to Ohio State looks different. Take Kienholz, who flipped from Washington to Ohio State a week before National Signing Day last year. And then you have someone like former Buckeyes starter Kyle McCord in the 2021 class, who committed to Ohio State as a sophomore.

Regardless of how each Buckeyes signal caller ends up at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, they’re all part of the competition — competition that Day readily invites year in and year out.

But what has to happen for a true freshman to actually be considered for the QB1 job?

“You don’t know till they get in and how quickly can they learn the offense and get used to it and learn from their mistakes,” Day said. “You can’t replace experience. But some guys you just see it early on. They can handle the information. They can handle what it takes. Most guys it takes a little time to get that figured out.”

Day continued: “A lot of guys want to come in and play right away because it sounds good and they’re anxious. But that always isn’t the best in terms of their development. But each guy is unique. And we get a better idea once we get going with with spring practice.”

Noland will be there for spring practice, where he’ll learn behind and compete with Brown, Kienholz and perhaps even a quarterback from the transfer portal.

The 6-foot-2 lefty from down south can distribute the ball with great accuracy and timing at all levels of the field. He’s a pass-first point guard, but he’s got the skill set to tuck the ball and make things happen with his legs if he needs to.

“Air Noland is somebody who is special in a lot of different ways,” Day said. “The way that he conducts himself, the way he handles himself. And he has a very high end. He’s very athletic. And he’s going to be the leader of this team.”

Catching up on National Signing Day content?

Ohio State had a memorable National Signing Day. Lettermen Row is still highlighting what came of it with in-depth analysis. Don’t miss it:

• Naming Buckeyes top recruiting assistant coaches in class of 2024
• Ranking top-five NIL valuations in Buckeyes 2024 class
• In-state analysis: Where Ohio State hit big recruiting in the 2024 cycle
• National Signing Day Superlatives: Ohio State class of 2024 offense
• National Signing Day Superlatives: Ohio State class of 2024 defense
• By the Numbers: Measuring trends, outliers in Buckeyes 2024 class
• Which Ohio State 2024 signees will be early enrollees?

3-2-1: Buckeyes thoughts, questions a week before Cotton Bowl

The Cotton Bowl is fast approaching, and Lettermen Row is breaking down the major thoughts and questions surrounding the top-10 showdown in Dallas between No. 7 Ohio State and No. 9 Missouri.

We looked at three important decisions still need to be made by Buckeyes stars, two Missouri players to know and one thought about the timing of the Cotton Bowl.

Check it out here.

RELATED

• Five things to know about Missouri ahead of Cotton Bowl
• By the numbers: Comparing Ohio State and Missouri

Transfer tracker: Breaking down Buckeyes moves, philosophy in transfer portal

Having trouble keeping track of all of Ohio State’s transfer portal departures?

Lettermen Row has you covered.

The Buckeyes have seen 14 of their scholarship players hit the portal — including starting quarterback Kyle McCord, starting wide receiver Julian Fleming and key running back Chip Trayanum — and there could be more on the way soon.

Follow along here to stay up to date.

RELATED

• Assessing Buckeyes transfer portal strategy following National Signing Day

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 343 days

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