Cardinals land former Ohio State QB on transfer portal
Jeff Brohm’s Louisville Cardinals secured a notable boost at quarterback, landing the former Lincoln Kienholz, Ohio State signal caller, outside the NCAA broadcast portal. The move comes at a crucial time for the Cardinals as they reshape their offense heading into the 2026 season.
Kienholtz, a former Pierre standout, spent the last three seasons in Columbus as Ohio State’s quarterback. Although he never became a full-time starter, he provided valuable depth behind Julian Sajin and saw limited action over multiple seasons.
His decision to move on covered the Ohio State College Football Playoff quarterfinal loss to Miami, a 24-14 loss it ended the Buckeyes’ title defense after they received a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed.
“Ohio State transfer KB Lincoln Kienholz has committed to Louisville, On3Sports has learned. On3’s Hayes Favcett 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 and also rushed for two scores. During his Buckeye career, he had 250 passing yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, showing efficiency in limited opportunities.
Louisville enters the offseason with a major loss at quarterback. Last season’s starter Miller Moss has exhausted his eligibility, while backup Dews Adams has entered the transfer window. That opened a clear path for Kienholz, who committed just two days after entering the portal and is expected to compete 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 a late-season setback. Head coach Jeff Brohm, now entering his fourth season in Louisville with a 28-12 overall record, emphasized stability and development at the QB position.
Kienholz now joins a program positioned to compete again in the ACC, with an opportunity to finally showcase his abilities as a starter. If he takes that chance, Louisville’s gamble on the portal could pay off quickly — both for the Cardinals’ win streak and for Kienholz’s long-term professional aspirations.
2026-01-04 08:55:00
