Dwayne Haskins is in line to be Ohio State's starting quarterback after Joe Burrow decided to transfer from the program, Urban Meyer confirmed Monday during a speaking appearance at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club in Canton.
From Joe Scalzo of the Canton Repository:
“This is really the first time I’ve talked about this since the spring game, but as of now it looks like Dwayne Haskins will get the first opportunity to be the starter,” Meyer said. “Dwayne is a young guy that came in against our rivals and did a heck of a job. You go back and watch that again, he came in on the first drive and took us down the field and scored on that first drive against that defense. So he’s got a great release, he’s got good size and he’s a mobile-enough quarterback.
“It is going to change how we attack defenses.”
Haskins has been the presumed frontrunner for the starting job since Tuesday, when Burrow announced his intention to transfer, but Monday was the first time that Meyer confirmed that publicly.
It had been uncertain whether Meyer would name Haskins as the starter prior to preseason camp, or allow redshirt freshman Tate Martell – the presumed No. 2 quarterback following Burrow's departure – to continue competing for the starting job until the season opener against Oregon State on Sept. 1.
Meyer also addressed Burrow's departure on Monday, describing Burrow as a "very good player" who "did everything the right way."
"I have nothing but good things to say about him," Meyer said, per Scalzo's report. "Joe and I are extremely close.”
