When Julian Sayin jogged onto the field at Ohio Stadium for the Buckeyes’ spring game, the moment wasn’t just a formality. It was a proving ground. All eyes were fixated on the former five-star sophomore QB, who had yet to fully seize control of the Buckeyes’ high-octane offense. For Ryan Day, Sayin’s spring performance wasn’t just about arm strength or footwork—it was a test of presence, poise, and polish under pressure. With one of the most talent-rich rosters in college football waiting for a leader, Sayin had to show he could carry the weight. And on that Saturday in Columbus, he gave Day something to chew on.

The young QB reportedly completed 17 of 24 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown, while also leading a second TD drive, over his competitor Lincon Kienholz’s 12 of 18 for 158 yards and two TDs. Still, even with the QB situation commanding attention, the rest of this roster seemed to have the feel of a championship machine. According to J.D. PicKell on a podcast ambitiously titled ‘Ohio State Can ABSOLUTELY Win National Title with Julian Sayin’, there are no glaring red flags in the team as of now: “Nothing jumps out on this roster as a major hole of like, if they don’t get that figured out, they are cooked. There’s no ‘we’re cooked’ situation here for Ohio State when you look up and down this thing, man.” The wide receiver room is as deep and explosive as ever, and the addition of Purdue transfer Max Klare—a freakish tight end who made waves in the spring game—just adds another weapon to Ryan Day’s offensive toolkit.

The defense looks every bit as lethal. While a splash at defensive tackle in the transfer portal could further elevate the unit, the core already boasts elite-level talent. “Sonny Styles, one of the best linebackers—I think he could be the best linebacker in America in 2025,” PicKell said. Behind him, you’ve got Caleb Downs roaming at safety, with Jermaine Mathews and Davison Igbinosun locking down the corners. “They’re just—they’re stacked, dude. They’re absolutely stacked. Offensive line, running back room is going to be good enough, I think.” Even amidst the usual spring uncertainties, this team’s floor is higher than most programs’ ceilings. “You answer the questions for Ohio State with a, ‘Yeah, but this is still a certain tier of talent.’”

But still—this is Ohio State. And no matter how ridiculous the depth chart looks, none of it works if there’s no steady hand under center. That’s where Julian Sayin’s spring game glow-up became the conversation starter. The spotlight was on, and the question was simple: Could he command the moment when it counted? “I think Ohio State fans maybe still have this question…the biggest question is…who’s playing quarterback?” the On3 college football analyst mentioned, before adding his own opinion, “I think he’s it. I think he’s got it. I think he’s got the tools to make Ohio State look how they’re supposed to look offensively.” And then he laid the actual concern besides the youngster’s “vertically challenged” shortcoming (which we’ll talk about a bit later):

“If Julian Sayin is your guy [in] game one? That means he was consistently who you saw in the spring game during practice in the fall for Ohio State to win the job. So, consistency question is answered. Great.” But if Sayin doesn’t win the job, that’s not an indictment. It could just mean Lincoln Kienholz, the dark horse in this quarterback derby, rose to the occasion. “One—more power to Lincoln Kienholz because he was probably balling all fall camp to take that job from Julian Sayin.”

What’s emerging in Columbus is less of a controversy and more of a crucible. The quarterback battle is feeding the competitive edge across the locker room. As PicKell put it, “Two—the competition in itself. We keep saying that’s going to feed the beast; it is Ohio State. It’s going to feed the beast that is the desire to eliminate complacency altogether.” Every pass, every dropped ball, and every scramble in team drills could tilt the scale. “You don’t want to be the guy that drops the pass for Lincoln Kienholz during team that would have elevated him in the battle—or vice versa for Julian Sayin.” However, if you ask Day, he clearly had a subtle favorite.

After the practice, the head coach had said, “Lincoln settled down after the first drive or so. Made some nice throws. But I thought Julian, for the most part, early on was in rhythm and moving the team down the field for a couple touchdowns, which was good.” Well, surely a small sigh of relief for Julia Sayin. But can he really rest?

Well, not really, as…

His height had got the community intrigued in the worst of ways. But…

Julian Sayin silences height-related doubts with spring game sizzle

Julian Sayin may not tower over defenders at 6-foot-3 like some of his QB peers, but don’t let that fool you—this 6-foot-1 player can sling it. Height has been a lingering concern for the former five-star QB. With skeptics questioning whether he can consistently see over offensive lines or avoid those pesky batted balls. But after OSU’s spring game, Ryan Day shut all that down with a confident reminder: “When you’re in the trees, you have to find passing lanes.” Day even pointed to NFL success stories like Drew Brees and Russell Wilson as proof that size doesn’t always define greatness.

And Sayin didn’t just show up—he showed out. On the Buckeye Talk podcast, Andrew Gillis said, “I thought that Julian just looked crisp.” He added, “The thing that you really notice … is just the way the ball explodes out of his hand is just different.”

What really stood out was how Sayin flipped the script. In earlier spring practices, he hadn’t quite taken command. But when the crowd showed up, so did Julian. Stefan Krajisnik highlighted one throw in particular: “Even on the rewatch he had one… like a quick out route that he threw… so quick out of his hand and got there, you know, so quick to receiver.” For a program with championship aspirations, that performance might be the most significant development of the entire spring.