Ohio State will see a change in guard at the quarterback position, with Julian Sayin set to succeed national champion Will Howard, who is now in the NFL. Under Ryan Day, Sayin walks into the college football field with immense expectations.
Before their high-voltage season opener against the Texas Longhorns on Aug. 30, college football insider Joel Klatt has set clear expectations for the quarterback.
“I don’t think that he’s got to go play hero ball, and reading some of the comments after Ryan Day named him the starting quarterback … I thought were absolutely accurate, which is all we’re looking for is a win,” Klatt said. “This is not about perfection from a young quarterback. This is not about looking like a Heisman Trophy winner.
“What’s he going to be asked to do? Just win, win by a point. Find the open guy, operate the offense. It’s simplicity over perfection for Julian Sayin in Week 1 against Texas.”
Julian Sayin was part of the 2024 recruiting class, where he was a five-star recruit. He’s set to lead championship favorite Ohio State. Apart from just winning the championship, Sayin will have to beat Michigan, a rival program that has proven to be a thorn in Ryan Day’s otherwise exceptional coaching.
Ohio State Names Julian Sayin as QB1 for 2025
The news, which became official earlier this week, didn’t come with a lot of surprise, even though there was tough competition between Julian Sayin and junior Lincoln Kienholz during the offseason practices. On Monday, Ryan Day finally unveiled the program’s starting quarterback for the 2025 season.
“Our guys are confident again with both quarterbacks; we’ll need both quarterbacks,” Day said. “Lincoln did a lot of great things, but we’re going to name Julian the starter here, give him the majority of the reps with the [starters] and go prepare to beat Texas.”
While backing up Will Howard last season, Sayin took 27 snaps, completing 5 of 12 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. After Sayin was elevated as the starting quarterback, star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is excited for what’s to come in the 2025 season.
“I’m expecting Julian to go out there every single week and put on a show,” Smith said on The Triple Option podcast on Wednesday.“ Julian’s a smart player and a smart quarterback. He can make any and every throw. A student of the game and I just can’t wait to see the things he does this year.”
It remains to be seen if Sayin can impress, with lots of expectations for him to deliver.
Also Read: 5 Starting Quarterbacks That May Not Stand on Expectations in 2025 ft. Julian Sayin
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