Is Julian Sayin the front-runner to be Ohio State football quarterback?
Ohio State made its quarterbacks available to reporters Wednesday after only the second day of spring practice.
No doubt that was intentional. It’s way too early to judge anything. Ohio State hasn’t even practiced in pads.
New quarterbacks coach Billy Fessler brushed aside a question about how close the competition is among redshirt freshman Julian Sayin, redshirt sophomore Lincoln Kienholz and true freshman Tavien St. Clair.
“I think we’re a long way away from even talking about how close it is,” Fessler said. “Right now, those three guys are really just focused on getting better every single time they step in this building – in meeting rooms or when they step on the field in practice.”
Sayin is perceived to be the front-runner. He was third-string last year behind Will Howard and Devin Brown and was the No. 1 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class. The Californian was an early enrollee at Alabama who transferred to Ohio State last January after Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban retired.
Sayin deflected any suggestion that he might be the favorite.
“I don’t listen to the outside noise,” he said. “I’m just focused on getting better, getting ready for Friday’s practice.”
Sayin is blessed with a strong, accurate arm with a notably quick release. He has added 10 pounds of muscle in the offseason.
When OSU coach Ryan Day was asked Monday how quarterbacks can set themselves apart, he spoke about showing a consistent work ethic, toughness, leadership and football acumen.
“I know every single one of them saw that quote by coach Day, which is pretty awesome,” Fessler said. “It’s so real. It’s who we have to be. We’ve got to be the toughest guys in the building. We’ve got to be the hardest-working guys in the building.”
Howard was the embodiment of what the intangibles Day seeks. He was charismatic, gregarious, and a natural leader. His successor doesn’t have to be as outgoing as Howard, but he’ll need to earn the respect of teammates and coaches. That takes time, and it certainly the second practice of spring is too soon to cement that.
“Will was really a great leader for this team, and it was fun to watch,” Sayin said. “He was someone everyone could relate to and was liked by everyone. If you went around the Woody and asked about Will Howard, everyone would have good things to say about him, so I’m trying to take that approach. It’s definitely not easy, but it’s something I’ve been working on.”
When a reporter jokingly asked if he was well-liked, Sayin smiled and replied, “I hope so. When you’re in the building, you try to leave a good impression or impact on everyone in the building.”
Sayin was a high-profile prospect and he saw how Howard handled the extreme highs and lows that come with being the Ohio State quarterback. He said he is prepared for that pressure cooker.
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“I definitely saw last year how much noise there is, but I think you have to block out the noise,” Sayin said.
That starts with ignoring speculation about the quarterback competition.
“I’m just focused on spring practice and getting better every day,” he said.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Is Julian Sayin the favorite to be Ohio State's quarterback?
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