COLUMBUS, Ohio — Austin Novosad is no stranger to competition.
Heading into his sophomore season at Dripping Springs High School outside of Austin, Texas, he was battling three players for the starting spot, one he lost before taking over as the starter after an injury in front of him.
“There’s so much competition,” Novosad told Scarlet and Gray Report. “Half the kids that don’t even get to start in Texas could start in another state. The competition down here is just crazy and just staying your course and just grinding to be the best you can be.”
In December, after finishing his junior season, Novosad secured his intention to stay in Texas at the next level, committing to Baylor: 124 miles northeast to where he played his high school ball.
It was Novosad’s first offer, a big offer that opened his eyes to the reality that he could play at the next level.
With that, the 2023 quarterback fell in love with the Baylor program: their mentality of “person over player,” the atmosphere that was different from other teams that wanted him and that the team was heading in the right direction.
But with that first offer, the big offer, came more offers and more attention from programs around the country.
That’s when Corey Dennis came calling.
Ohio State was not something Novosad was searching for, but it was something he couldn’t turn down when the program’s quarterbacks coach reached out, relaying his and the team’s interest, wondering if he could come out to Dripping Springs to watch a throwing session.
After throwing for Dennis, who filmed the whole session, Novosad remembers being encouraged to come to Columbus to throw for head coach Ryan Day, possibly leading to an offer most quarterbacks are aiming to receive.
“For a QB, the Ohio State offer is pretty hard to get,” Novosad said. “So I just thought that I kind of, committing early, I kind of owed it to myself just to go out there, take the visit and see what it’s like.”
He did, coming to Ohio State for its first camp of the summer, working in an exclusive throwing session with Day, Dennis and two-star quarterback and Nevada commit Jax Leatherwood.
Securing a commitment from 2024 four-star quarterback Dylan Raiola, the Buckeyes still have a hole to fill at the quarterback spot in 2023 without gaining significant ground with many of the major targets in the class including Malachi Nelson (USC), Eli Holstein (Alabama) and undecided quarterbacks Dante Moore and Dylan Lonergan.
Throwing for about an hour, Novosad did his thing, showing Day and Dennis everything he had.
It was a session Day raved about to the 2023 quarterback who already fit Day’s bill as a quarterback, standing at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds. The Ohio State head coach called Novosad a “natural,” loving the way he threw and emphasizing the fact that he knew the Baylor commit could play and develop in the Buckeyes’ quarterback room.
Day saw enough, and Novosad had another offer.
“I think he saw I had the talent to play there,” the 2023 four-star quarterback said. “Nobody’s perfect, but I think he thinks that I’m in a good spot where he could develop me and play at Ohio State.”
Novosad left Columbus with something to think about.
The 2023 four-star quarterback reiterated his Baylor commitment, saying he was focused on his official visit to Waco that’s coming. But with his early commitment, Novosad still wanted to see what bigger programs could offer him. He wanted to see what it would be like to play 1,260 miles away instead of 124.
Novosad left Columbus, though, with validation. He now knows for sure that he could play for Ohio State if he wanted to, something, he said, fuels him further instead of leaving him satisfied.
“The hard work’s paying off, but don’t stop right now,” Novosad said. “That’s kind of how I look at it.”
