Earning the opportunity to be the Ohio State starting quarterback is a prestigious honor. In the Ryan Day era, there have been two NFL-worthy quarterbacks, and then Kyle McCord in 2023. Ohio State is desperately looking to get back to elite quarterback play so they went out and earned the commitment of Kansas State’s Will Howard.
Howard has been the presumptive favorite to end up as the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback with how Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz struggled in the Cotton Bowl. Add in the fact that two true freshmen, no matter how highly ranked they are, round out the room, it should be Howard’s job to lose.
Not so fast.
Ohio State’s Ryan Day: Julian Sayin is “in the Mix” of the QB Competition Heading Into the Spring Game
Ohio State’s Spring Game is set to kick off on Saturday, April 13. The first-ever nationally-televised Spring Game will have all eyes on a number of positional battles but perhaps the quarterbacks will be under the most scrutiny. With five scholarship quarterbacks currently on the roster, someone has to step up.
As it turns out, former five-star quarterback Julian Sayin is making waves. The Buckeyes got Sayin via the Transfer Portal as he was initially signed on to play for Nick Saban and Alabama. As Saban retired, Sayin joined fellow Alabama defectors, Seth McLaughlin and Caleb Downs.
In an interview after practice, Day told Grant Hughes of 247Sports’ BuckNuts:
“Julian Sayin is in the mix,” Day said regarding the quarterback competition. “Julian has been competing his tail off. He’s got a very bright future. How early he sees the field is up to him. He’s been in there competing. He’s making plays. Nine practices in, you could see that he was making a lot of throws in big spots, even against the ones. The play speaks for itself.”
The Current QB Room
There have been reports left and right out of spring practice in Columbus for each and every quarterback. Howard was the favorite coming in and was splitting first-team reps. Even with the hype surrounding Sayin, Howard remains the favorite due to his experience.
Devin Brown is the other quarterback who has been taking first-team snaps and he looks to be fully healthy after suffering that lower-body injury in the Cotton Bowl. Of the Buckeyes’ quarterbacks, Brown has been on campus for the longest and likely has the best grip on the playbook.
Lincoln Kienholz was thrust into the spotlight in that Cotton Bowl and did what he could. Behind the offensive line that struggled mightily, he struggled. There have been loud rumors surrounding Kienholz and his future. Most notably, there’s a feeling that Iowa has been tampering with him and the redshirt freshman will jump in the Transfer Portal when it reopens and will head to Iowa City. He recently put out a succinct statement:
Go Bucks🌰
— Lincoln Kienholz (@LincolnKienholz) April 11, 2024
Air Noland also came in as a five-star recruit in the 2024 recruiting cycle. He was an incredibly productive high school career, passing for 10,164 yards and 126 touchdowns. The talented southpaw was compared to Michael Penix, Jr. by 247Sports‘ Andrew Ivins.
So You’re Sayin There’s a Chance?
As a recruit, Sayin was considered a five-star recruit and the best at the quarterback position. Across all positions, Sayin was 247Sports‘ sixth-best player.
He’s been compared to Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy but time will tell if Sayin is a quarterback who can excel without already knowing the defenses and could be trusted to win football games for the Buckeyes.
His greatest attribute is his accuracy. Multiple reports out of spring practice have raved about Sayin’s pinpoint accuracy and his ability to make just about every throw asked of him.
Ohio State has a tradition called the Black Stripe. In essence, all newcomers to the team —transfers and incoming freshmen alike —have a black stripe placed on their helmets to cover up the scarlet stripe. The player must earn their keep to “officially” become a member of the team. Sayin lost his black stripe in record time for a freshman quarterback.
Will Sayin end up as QB1 for the Buckeyes against Akron in Week 1? It’s possible. He certainly has the ability and the trust of the coaches already. The sticking point will be how well or poorly he grasps the playbook.
While Howard may end up as the starter to kick off the year, Ohio State could end up having a Jalen Hurts-Tue Tagovailoa situation where Sayin eventually supplants the veteran (and leads the Buckeyes to a College Football Playoff National Title?).