There are a lot of finer points to playing quarterback at Ohio State.
Watching Julian Sayin sling footballs about in spring practice, it’s easy to see why he was the No. 1 quarterback prospect in his recruiting class. His release is quicker than a cobra strike but still generates fantastic zip. But it’s the minutiae of his game that Sayin is trying to drill down to win the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback job as a redshirt freshman.
“When you're at a big-time program like Ohio State, I think everyone's judged,” Sayin said. “Everything you do is important. How your locker looks is important. All the small details.”
A lot of the small details Sayin is diving into are off-the-field items.
There’s been a top-down message from Ryan Day to his quarterbacks since the start of spring practice that they need to be the toughest, hardest-working unit on the team. Quarterbacks coach Billy Fessler reiterated it on Wednesday. Not just Sayin but the other two signal callers battling him at the position, Lincoln Kienholz and Tavien St. Clair, reiterated it, too.
“If someone says, ‘Who's the hardest working guy?’ It should be the quarterback,” Day said on Monday. “If it's somebody else, that's a problem, because they should be the first one in the building and the last one to leave. And then they have to be tough. If it's 4th-and-2 against Texas, we gotta find a way to get 3 yards. That's the bottom line. And those guys understand that, they know it. Mick (Marotti) reinforces it in the weight room daily.”
Another off-the-field item critical for quarterbacks is leadership. Sayin will need a big jump in that regard to fill the shoes of Will Howard, who transferred to Ohio State with four years of experience from Kansas State and knowledge of how to control huddles and command respect.
“Will was a really great leader for this team, and it was fun to watch,” Sayin said. “He was someone who everyone kind of could relate to, and (he was) liked by everyone. I think if you went around the Woody and asked about Will Howard, everyone would have good things to say about him. So I think that's something that – I'm trying to take that approach.”
Last season proved tumultuous for Sayin after he transferred in from Alabama. He showed flashes in spring practice but struggled and threw an interception in the spring game, then made little noise in his limited opportunities during the season, going 5-of-12 for 84 yards and one touchdown. Most of that production came via a 55-yard strike to Bennett Christian against Western Michigan.
Sayin stated that his first few months on campus were just about getting adjusted and learning about the college game and Ohio State. Going into his second season, he feels that’s where he’s grown the most, his mastery of the Buckeyes’ scheme and ability to read defenses.
“Just knowing where I'm going with the football and understanding football IQ,” Sayin said. “I learned a lot from Coach (Chip) Kelly, Coach Day, and Coach Vesta. There's still more room to improve and room to grow, but I think I've learned a lot.”
Fessler is among those who praised the California native’s quick release, but he wants to ensure Sayin is well-rounded as a quarterback. Fessler highlighted consistency as a sticking point with all his pupils.
“Julian definitely has a quick release, that's for sure,” Fessler said. “I think that it can definitely be an advantage in just the ability to get the ball to the receivers quickly. But at the same point, you can't sacrifice arm strength for a quick release. So we're continuing to work to build that arm strength, to strengthen his core, to work rotationally because he is such a rotational thrower.”
Another key goal for Sayin this offseason has been to add weight to brace his body for the punishment a starting quarterback can take over the course of the newly-extended college football season. He says he’s added 10 pounds through Ohio State’s strength and conditioning program since the 2024 season ended.
“I think this winter, I've gained a little bit of weight and gotten stronger,” Sayin said. “So that was a big emphasis in the winter, really just focusing on getting bigger and stronger.”
Sayin is the frontrunner among Ohio State pundits and former players, but the Buckeyes’ quarterback competition is a long way from resolved. Fessler perhaps over-emphasized that fact on Wednesday as Sayin battles the redshirt sophomore Kienholz and freshman St. Clair.
“We're just a long way away from even talking about how close it is,” Fessler said. “Right now, those three guys are really just focused on getting better every single time they step in this building in meeting rooms, step out on the field on practice. that's really the goal, is just finding a way to improve every single time that we're out here, finding a way to develop some consistency.”
Regardless of the hype surrounding him, expectations or pressure, Sayin is prepared to iron out as many fine details as possible and make his bid for Ohio State’s starting gig.
“I definitely saw that last year and just how much noise there is,” Sayin said. “But I think you have to block out the noise and now I'm just focused on spring practice and just getting better every day.”
