Ohio State had an impressive start to its Big Ten schedule with a 42-19 win over Illinois. While QB Julian Sayin put together a standout 4-TD performance, his ground game was what pleased the fans most. This was something that Ryan Day had been asking from his QB1, and when he finally showed glimpses, the head coach didn’t refrain from praising him.

In his post-game presser, the Ohio State head coach called Sayin’s evolution into becoming more of a dual threat QB an “X-factor,” as reported by Chase Brown of the Lantern. Day said that Sayin’s rushing ability can unlock a lot for Ohio State’s offense.

“He has the quickness to do that, and I thought he competed well today,” Day added.

Heading into the Week 4 game, a lot of chatter was about Ohio State’s redzone efficiency against Kent State, especially because of a lack of QB runs and the O-line’s failure to create gaps in the middle.

But Sayin provided a solution to those issues against Illinois. With 15 seconds left in the second quarter, the QB dropped back in the red zone. Evading pressure, he scrambled for a touchdown. The score took Ohio State up 28-10. But that wasn’t all.

Sayin’s 29 rushing yards may look average on paper. However, of the seven carries, four resulted in first downs for the Buckeyes. Morever, the QB was quite sharp throwing the. He threw for 27-of-36 for 367 passing yards and four touchdowns. All four of his touchdowns went to Jeremiah Smith, who finished with 217 yards and 4 TDs on 12 receptions.

After the game, Sayin acknowledged that Ryan Day had challenged him to extend plays, especially when the initial plan breaks down. Rather than taking avoidable sacks or throwing them away, the QB should use his legs and scramble. He had an opportunity to do the same against Kent State, but took a sack, which killed the drive.

“He’s just coaching hard, and he coaches the quarterbacks hard. We wouldn’t want it any other way,” Sayin said of his head coach. The QB also talked about a degree of clarity he had in the Week 4 game.

“How can I avoid? How can I extend? Is there a guy up and down field, or do I go to pick it up with my legs?” Sayin said, according to SI.

It’s still early in the season, and Ohio State will have tougher challenges against the likes of Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan. However, evolving into a dual-threat QB has been a point of emphasis for Sayin since the playoffs last year.

In Ohio State’s losses to Indiana and Miami, Sayin was sacked multiple times. What hurt the Buckeyes even more was the QB’s inability to use his legs. During the spring game, Sayin showed that evolution with a rushing touchdown.

How did the rest of the team perform?

Another game, another Jeremiah Smith masterclass. The wide receiver was unstoppable against Illinois, a week after he broke Ohio State’s passing yards record.

Smith caught touchdown passes of 14, 38, and a massive 72 yards on three consecutive offensive possessions. He single-handedly fuelled the Buckeyes’ early 21-10 lead. His 4 touchdowns officially bring his career total to 34 receiving touchdowns. Now he is just two touchdowns away from passing Chris Olave (35) to become the all-time career touchdown receptions leader in Ohio State program history.

While Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith captured the headlines, the rest of the Buckeyes’ roster put together an efficient performance. Ja’Kobi Jackson had 56 rushing yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Even Bo Jackson added 53 yards on 11 carries.

While Smith dominated receiving yards, Sayin also included other receivers in the offense. Nate Roberts had 36 yards on 4 receptions, followed by Devin McCuin on 34 yards on four receptions. On the other side of the ball, Riley Pettijohn and Kenyatta Jackson Jr. had a sack each.