Julian Sayin’s performance as a starter last season was strong, but it was marred by a high number of sacks. He was already looking to improve his pocket presence this season, but that task just became monumental after head coach Ryan Day revealed the two players meant to protect his blindside will be out for all of spring camp.

“Austin Siereveld (left tackle) and Phillip Daniels (right tackle) both had small procedures that will force them to miss the rest of spring practice,” said Day during his Monday appearance. “Those guys had a small procedure, but they’ll be out for the rest of spring and will be back for a full summer.”

Although the injuries aren’t expected to have long-term ramifications, if these two aren’t healthy, this could be a big blow for Sayin in 2026 because they are basically his primary protectors against sacks and hits from the opposition defense. Defenses sacked Sayin 16 times last season. While he was one of the most protected QBs for much of the year, his sack numbers increased significantly during the postseason.

The QB was sacked only 6 times over the course of 12 games. However, he was sacked 10 additional times in just two games: one against Indiana in the B1G Championship, and the other against Miami in the CFP quarterfinal. Now, while Siereveld and Daniels are expected to be sidelined for the Buckeyes’ annual spring game for undisclosed injuries, their absence matters considering OSU’s depth.

In 2025, Siereveld is particularly noted for his consistency, as he played over 800 snaps without allowing a single sack. Meanwhile, Daniels, a former Minnesota starter, remains in a competitive battle to secure his spot as he continues to adjust to the Buckeyes’ system. Now, with both starters out, OSU has turned to its younger depth to fill the tackle spots for the rest of the spring.

“But it’s great to see both Ian (Moore) and Carter (Lowe) have to step up in a big way,” added Day.

In Siereveld’s absence, junior Ian Moore has been taking first-team reps at left tackle. On the flip side, sophomore Carter Lowe has stepped into Daniels’ role with the first team during spring drills. Last season, Moore played 149 total offensive snaps, including 79 snaps at left tackle, while Lowe played 18 total offensive snaps as a true freshman.

Therefore, OSU isn’t out of talent in the starting O-linemen, but for Julian Sayin, the setback doesn’t end there.

The concern for OSU QB is only growing

After Lincoln Kienholz’s transfer departure, with Ryan Day encouraging his sophomore QB to create more plays, the spotlight on Julian Sayin just got brighter. But OSU’s QB room suddenly looks thinner than expected because behind Sayin sits a depth chart still searching for meaningful game experience. In that case, the backup battle between Justyn Martin and Tavien St. Clair highlights the concern.

Last season, as a five-star true freshman, St. Clair spent the majority of the season on the scout team to gain experience against OSU’s top-ranked defense. He appeared briefly in only one game, the Buckeyes’ victory over Grambling State, and attempted 2 passes and completed none. Meanwhile, Martin played the 2025 season at Maryland before transferring to OSU this January.

His season was cut short almost immediately due to injury, and he appeared in only 1 game for the Terrapins, the season opener, recording 1 rushing carry for 2 yards. However, beyond them, the experience level drops even further. Walk-on Kolton Stover and true freshman Luke Fahey remain developmental options.

Now, it will be interesting to see how Ryan Day handles this concern if Julian Sayin gets injured or other unexpected situations arise.