Ohio State fans are already penciling in Julian Sayin as the starter. Some probably went ahead and used Sharpie.
It’s not hard to see why. Sayin came in with all the hype — a former 5-star, one of the top quarterbacks in his class, and a high-profile transfer from Alabama. His arrival in Columbus was seen as the next big thing to follow Will Howard. So of course, everyone just assumed he’d win the starting job before spring practice even finished.
But here we are, well into the offseason, and Ryan Day still hasn’t named a starting quarterback. Sayin is locked in a two-man battle with Lincoln Kienholz, and while Day has narrowed it down to those two, he’s still calling it “neck and neck.”
That’s made a lot of fans uneasy — not because there’s a QB battle (that happens) — but because no one expected it to be this close. The longer it drags out, the more it starts to feel like Sayin might not be the sure thing everyone hoped he’d be.
Let’s be honest: people are treating Ryan Day’s hesitation like it’s just posturing. Like he’s trying to keep both quarterbacks happy or preserve depth by not pushing Kienholz into the transfer portal. But what if that’s not it? What if Sayin just isn’t ready?
It’s not a knock on his talent — he’s clearly gifted. But we’ve seen it a thousand times. Quarterbacks, no matter how highly rated they are, often need time to develop. Not everyone is C.J. Stroud or Justin Fields. And maybe that’s the reality we’re staring down here. Maybe Sayin is simply going through the natural growing pains that come with learning a new system, adjusting to a new team, and going from “big-time recruit” to “actual college starter.”
Greg McElroy recently shared that it’s been up and down for Sayin. Some good days. Some rough practices. That’s exactly what you’d expect from a young QB still getting his feet under him. Sure, he looked good in the spring game, but Kienholz looked sharp too, because spring games allow coaches to give off the illusion that they want to paint.
And that’s where the concern creeps in.
Ohio State fans have been spoiled at quarterback over the past decade. So when a guy like Sayin shows up, the default reaction is to expect greatness right away. But what if that’s not how this one goes? What if this is more of a slow burn? What if Kienholz, who’s been in the program longer, has just been more consistent?
There’s also the reality that no matter who wins the job, this is going to be a major transition year for the Buckeyes at quarterback. Last season, they rode with Will Howard — a seasoned veteran. Now, they’re rolling into a national title-defending season with two guys who haven’t played meaningful football at the Big Ten level. There’s going to be some bumps in the road, no matter who takes that first snap against Texas.
That doesn’t mean Sayin is a bust. It doesn’t mean he won’t eventually be one of the top quarterbacks inthe country. But it does mean his development might take a little longer than Buckeye Nation was hoping for. I'm not saying that's a guarantee, just something that Ohio State fans might need to prepare for as a possibility.