As fall camp is swinging into full gear, Ohio State’s season opener against Texas is only four weeks away. As it gets closer to Week 1, the Buckeyes quarterback race is officially heating up. Head coach Ryan Day has still not named a starter, and the race between Alabama transfer Julian Sayin and true freshman Tavien St. Clair has grabbed national headlines.
With months of speculation behind us, recent reports and film analysis of the Spring Game played in April that is now being re-circulated around scouting circles and beat coverage in early August, provide the best indication of who might be taking the first snap on Sept. 1.
Julian Sayin impressed immediately in the Spring Game, completing 16-of-25 passes, 178 yards, and a touchdown with no turnovers. St. Clair, who flashed some potential, completed 11-of-18 passes, 123 yards, and a touchdown with two interceptions.
Both quarterbacks had occasions to drive their teams to touchdowns, but Sayin had a clean stat line and looked good under pressure. Several analysts state that those spring reps remain one of the key contributors to the evaluation process.
The April tape reveals that Sayin is operating smoothly in the collapsing pocket and throwing intermediate balls with precision.
Biggest takeaway from the Ohio State Spring Game
Julian Sayin = QB1 🤩
pic.twitter.com/AdR9QSxjzK— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) April 12, 2025
His three sacks were mostly a result of him holding the ball too long but his rhythm and control were generally in line with the qualities Day has cited in his public statements. Sayin appeared quite comfortable running the Ohio State offense at game tempo, which is something few freshman quarterbacks do this early in camp.
The film of St. Clair is more of a mixed story. His two interceptions were both on poor decisions, one was a risky pass into double coverage and the other was an underthrown pass to the sideline. His second-half performance gave hope though. He was 10-of-12, 117 yards and a touchdown, with improved timing and pocket movement.
Ryan Day’s Metrics Favor Julian Sayin Over Tavien St. Clair
Nevertheless, the initial hiccups beg the question as to whether Julian Sayin is prepared to go against a defense as good as Texas is to begin with.
At this time, when there is less than a month to kickoff, the choice of Ryan Day is looming. During interviews this week, Day has reiterated his most significant measures to be those of consistency, accuracy, and command.
Sayin ticks more of those boxes according to what the team has seen in game-like situations. He has been hailed to be very mature and decisive in fall camp and the absence of turnovers in the competitive environment further proves his point.
Although Tavien St. Clair is certainly as talented as they come, and his potential over the long term may even be greater than Sayin’s, the Buckeyes have a win-now schedule. The early indicators point to Julian Sayin as the best option to hit the ground running in 2025.
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