Sometimes, even winning the National Championship is not enough to get rid of doubts. That’s the story of the Ohio State Buckeyes head coach, Ryan Day. As CFB critic Paul Finebaum still cuts a few marks while grading Coach Day. The ESPN analyst shared, “He is a good CEO. But I think that you have seen multiple instances, Georgia three years ago, Michigan the last four years, where he looks completely clueless on the football field.”

So, moving into the 2025 season, Day and Ohio State’s primary goal is going to get rid of the Michigan curse. But we must not forget that the Buckeyes’ wagon is moving without their last year’s phenom, quarterback Will Howard. But so what? Day did not delay and named his starter for the 2025 season, Julian Sayin. And he is already giving away good vibes.  

Sayin was the 20th overall prospect and the 3rd best quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class. He was the same chap who caught GOAT Nick Saban’s attention and was recruited to play in Alabama. But things turned left as Saban retired and Sayin hit the transfer portal and finally docked his wagon at Day’s Ohio State. And the Buckeyes’ head coach must be thanking Saban now. On August 19, analyst Chase Brown tweeted, “Tim Walton said Julian Sayin has helped Ohio State’s secondary prepare for the season. Walton said Sayin can ‘spin the ball’ and ‘make all the throws.’” 

Turns out that Sayin has already wooed Ohio State defensive backs coach Tim Walton. The quarterback is turning heads as he gives the Buckeyes’ defensive backs great practice reps. Sayin is spinning the ball – throwing a tight, accurate spiral with good velocity. Walton added, “He can throw the ball. He can throw the whole route tree.” Sayin’s arm strength is evident, which is a big bonus for a quarterback to complete every type of pass. The quarterback’s USP has also been the topic of discussion among beat writer OT Brutus.

On August 13, the analyst tweeted, “Julian Sayin is shaping up to be a generational quarterback. His arm talent is elite; he can make every throw from every platform, with accuracy that already looks NFL-ready. Poise under pressure? Off the charts, he rarely panics, even against fast pass rushes. His football IQ is insane.” Now imagine, even after having a limited play time, appearance in 4 games, and with only completing 5-of-12 passes, Day was convinced to hand him the QB1 torch. Now that he has received the role, how high is he going to fly? But another analyst has raised a warning to keep him grounded and fly with caution.

Is Julian Sayin thrown into the fire with the starter’s role?

The 2025 season is not going to be a bed of roses for Day’s Ohio State. Their biggest thorn on the way will be to cope with the loss of their former offensive coordinator, and the mastermind behind their Natty win, Chip Kelly. Right now, Brian Hartline has filled the spot. A new quarterback (Sayin) with a new offensive coordinator (Hartline), not a very good combination. On the other hand, with Jeremiah Smith, a freshman wide receiver, his ability to make tough, long catches is limited.

On that note, Rece Davis sounded an alarm, “With the new quarterback, what have you got in the bag to make sure that Jeremiah Smith doesn’t have to hit a go-ball or doesn’t have to hit a, you know, 18-yard dig in order to get a touch?” This was then doubled down by Chris Fallica on the See Ball Get Ball podcast. Sayin and Co. will be facing off against Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns as their season opener on August 30. 

Already, Ryan Day’s Ohio State is at a disadvantage when it comes to facing the Texas defense, which is considered to be the best individual unit in the country. They have a front seven loaded with future draft picks. Not a great unit for Julian Sayin to face off. Fallica already sees Sayin falling prey to it. As he shared, “With Julian Sayin… It’s a completely different offense, completely different quarterback than what we saw last year, and with a first-time play caller in Hartline who says he can spin it. But can they protect him?” Are we doubting Sayin’s tools? No way. However, time for a bitter pill to swallow- starting a true freshman against a defense that looks NFL-ready is no less than throwing Sayin to the wolves. Can the quarterback come out unscathed?