Ohio State was a few games away from finishing the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record last year and winning it all. Just then, Curt Cignetti’s Indiana punctured their momentum in the B1G Championship game, with the Miami loss ending their campaign altogether. One of the most striking things about both losses was how uncomfortable Julian Sayin looked. Ahead of the 2026 campaign, the Buckeyes’ QB1 is determined to right the wrongs.

“Yeah, I think our whole program does. We didn’t end the way we wanted to. We wanted to get a championship trophy, and it didn’t end that way,” Sayin said in a May 28 interview with Eleven Warriors, after he was asked if the QB had a “chip” on his shoulders. “So, I think the whole program has that chip on its shoulder.”

Sayin’s reluctance to scramble last year left yards on the field, a pattern analysts traced to CJ Stroud’s early struggles.

“You’re just asking him once or twice a game to turn first and 10 into second and seven, or what would be second and 17 into second and 10, right?” OSU insider Andrew Gillis commented on Sayin’s struggles. “No, it doesn’t even have to be yards. It could be a throwaway. Get out of the pocket and then throw it away. I think this is CJ Stroud all over again.”

We had seen what Sayin can actually do, and those scrambles under high pressure against Penn State and Michigan were evidence of it. Against Penn State, Sayin even had two carries for 13 yards, including a nine-yard run. On his part, Sayin is putting in the work to improve his game further.

“I think definitely,” Sayin said when he was asked if he was feeling the pressure. “I think the day you stop having something to prove is the day you stop improving.”

Apart from the mobility issue, Sayin also had some red-zone struggles and those late-season turnovers. Against Purdue, for instance, he threw a costly interception near the end zone, drawing immense criticism. The important part is that Sayin recognizes those struggles.

“For me, I’m not focused on the good plays but focused on the few plays I wish I would’ve made that gave us a chance to win those games,” Sayin said to The Athletic in March. “I’m chasing to be the best version of myself, so how can I improve in those areas? Whether it’s cleaner feet in the pocket, taking off when we need to on third down, there are a lot of things.”

We saw a much-improved Sayin this year at OSU’s annual spring scrimmage. The Buckeyes’ QB1 made intelligent scrambles, showing willingness to extend plays with his legs, and he even scored a rushing touchdown while doing that. Nevertheless, the passing game was a bit shaky, as Sayin threw an interception and passed for 89 yards in total. Even with that, Sayin is becoming comfortable with Arthur Smith’s offense.

Julian Sayin is already in tune with Arthur Smith’s offense

After Ryan Day’s previous OC, Brian Hartline, departed for the USF job, the head coach has roped in NFL veteran Arthur Smith as the team’s new OC. Since Smith has historically prioritized a physical, multi-tight-end run game and a play-action offense, Sayin might have had to adapt slightly this year. That’s another reason why the QB1 has worked so hard on his mobility.

“He’s done a lot of great things, and I think you’ve got to get to the fall and see. It’s going to be exciting,” Sayin said about Arthur Smith. “As someone who’s returning from last year, you have a couple of guys who are returning and played a lot of football for us last year. I think we have to kind of drive the pace and kind of show the way.”

Previously, Sayin appeared on the Triple Option podcast with Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, and Rob Stone. There, the OSU QB1 quickly acknowledged that he was “caught up” on Smith’s offense, which gave OSU fans extreme optimism.

All that remains is to rush back onto the field after fall camp and start to prove it game after game. It won’t be easy for the team to win the national championship this year. Considering Ryan Day had several veteran NFL departures and even lost 32 players to the portal. With a new roster and less returning production, the odds might not favor the team.