Julian Sayin’s command of the offense this season was nothing short of commendable. Coaches and analysts continue to praise his ability to quickly process defensive looks at the line of scrimmage. That poise, however, didn’t develop overnight. Much of it took shape under his predecessor, Will Howard. Sayin made an emotional confession on Howard’s lone season as Ohio State’s leader.

In a press conference on December 13, Sayin admitted that Howard played a major role in shaping him into the type of signal-caller he became in his debut year. “I think I learned a lot from Will Howard last year,” Sayin said. “Just the way he prepares, and the way he was just a leader, that offense leader in the building, and just took a lot from him.”

Will Howard only spent one season at Ohio State after transferring from Kansas State, but he made it count. He started all 16 games and led the Buckeyes to a program-record 14 wins. The 24-year-old was incredibly efficient, setting a single-season school record with a 73.0% completion rate and posting eight games at 80% or better. He threw for 4,010 yards, becoming just the third quarterback in Buckeyes history to top 4,000 passing yards in a season. His 35 touchdown passes ranked fourth all-time at Ohio State and fourth nationally.

The leadership mindset Sayin often points to wasn’t just talk. Howard consistently put team success ahead of personal stats. When asked about breaking Ohio State’s single-season completion percentage record, Howard brushed it off, saying, “That’s cool, man. But it really doesn’t mean much to me as long as we are winning games.” He was just as quick to credit his teammates, highlighting plays like Jack Sawyer’s clutch scoop-and-score against Texas last year.

That selfless approach didn’t go unnoticed. Teammates and coaches regularly praised Howard for staying calm under pressure and making smart decisions when the moment mattered most. “He is the leader of this team. The guys believe in him. We know we can win every game with Will Howard. I think the more and more he’s in this offense, the more and more he feels what it’s like to be the Ohio State quarterback, the better,” head coach Ryan Day said, via Chase Brown of Eleven Warriors. “But at the end of the day, it’s about winning the game. He did that. He’s a winner.”

That’s some high-level feedback coming from the head coach himself. And Sayin was able to learn all that under him. Howard has spoken highly of Sayin, calling him a “super-talented kid” with a “different” way of throwing the ball. But along with the sweet talk, Howard never wavered from his role of being Sayin’s mentor. “I have a bunch of conversations with Julian, too, just one-on-one. Really, what I told him is, ‘Don’t be the hero, man,'” Howard said. “‘You don’t have to be the hero. Take care of the football and let the game come to you.'”

Julian Sayin hit with harsh reality

Julian Sayin walks into Heisman night as the quarterback everyone knows is good enough to win. But his chances don’t really reflect that. The 20-year-old put up one of the most efficient passing years in college football history at Ohio State. He is leading the FBS in completion percentage at 78.9 percent and posting a passer rating north of 180. On paper, that’s classic Heisman stuff.

But the betting market has pretty much told you the result after the conference championship weekend. Once Fernando Mendoza and Indiana outlasted Sayin and Ohio State 13–10 in the Big Ten title game, Mendoza’s odds flipped from tight favorite to total runaway. The Hoosiers’ QB is moving to around -2000 or shorter, while Sayin cratered to +50000. He has the longest shot among the four finalists. Even though Sayin threw for more yards in that game, it was the result that mattered.

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Mendoza played a key role in winning Indiana’s first Big Ten title since the 1940s. So Sayin’s “chances” are hanging by a thread. On one hand, he’s the stat monster who diced Michigan on the road. The win boosted his odds into near co‑favorite territory at +155 entering championship week. On the other hand, Heisman history is brutal to the guy who loses the de facto showcase game in December.