The Julian Sayin question continues to keep the Ohio State QB room in a major dilemma. He is battling for the starting job at Columbus against Lincoln Kienholz and true freshman Tavien St. Clair but is yet to see any progress. In a journey that embodies both promises and pressure, Sayin failed to make a first solid impression in the scrimmage. With Will Howard moving on to the draft after leading the Buckeyes to a Natty, Ryan Day is looking for an ideal replacement. So, it’s a no-brainer that it has been an upheaval battle for the Alabama transfer. But things can turn even worse if he gives in to the thrust. A little resilience can be a career-saver for Julian Sayin.
Sayin headed to Columbus with a ton of expectations. There is a firm narrative that he will be the future crown jewel for the defending champions. A bunch of departing Buckeyes (to the NFL) had seen him in high regard in terms of skill set, IQ, and all the other ingredients that are needed in the recipe of an elite QB1. But Sayin didn’t let the hype catch him up. He stays poised in the Spring practice with a “first thing comes first” approach. But destiny seemingly wished to taste the pitch before it got hotter.
Sayin underperformed during the first practice in the spring. He failed to impress the higher-ups in the 11-on-11 intrasquad scrimmage on March’s last weekend. Of course, it’s not the end of the world. Going deeper into it, April doesn’t mean much, technically. When it comes to the subtle psychology behind your confidence, it’s a different story, nevertheless. And this is the area Sayin should work on without fail.
Ohio State insider Jay Stephens dished a warning in his way, asking him not to lose sleep over one bad day. “He is a quarterback that can learn, while he struggled with accuracy under pressure, and through the only interception during the scrimmage. He cannot, he can do a theater to not allow that to mess his mental up,” Jay carved out the right mental setup for the would-be starter.
Sure, Sayin showcased some weaknesses early in the spring battle that can push him back for the time being. But he has some mammoth strength to easily capitalize on to rule out the competitors. He has a quick release, rotational throwing, and a great sense of the ball. While the QB coach said they are actively working to enhance his arm talent and core strength to maximize the upper body-lower body flexibility, Sayin is not a prospect hinging on the future. Right now, he is good to go for the Buckeyes, but only if the sophomore quarterback takes a backseat.
Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz stand closer than ever
While Sayin failed to catch fire with his performance during the Ohio State Student Day, Lincoln Kienholz jumped above in the conversation with some striking throws. The Buckeyes already have some game-changer WRs in the receiver room. With Jeremiah Smith being back for another year, he just needs a quarterback to get the ball out of his hands. Lincoln showed enough poise to tick the chart.
While it’s too early to assess, Kienholz is making some serious strides on his way to topple Sayin in the race potentially. Based on last week’s practice, it was merely a two-man battle at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. The way the Kienholz threw a deep ball to the corner of an end zone for a touchdown to receiver Carnell Tate speaks volumes. Just a moment back, Sayiateen up an interception by cornerback Jermaine Mathews.
Ryan Day said Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz are “pretty much neck-and-neck right now.” Tavien St. Clair has a longer way to go because he’s a true freshman.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) April 7, 2025
So, did the utter contradiction make any difference in the head coach’s headspace? Did Lincoln just go ahead of Sayin already on the hype train? Well, if not, he reduced the gap. Coach Day, during a press conference on Monday, put Sayin and Kienholz quite on the same page, saying they are currently “neck-in-neck” with one another through the Spring. It will be riveting to see who among these two will jump ahead in the remaining weeks of the Spring and secure the job under the center.
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