Many consider Ohio State’s Julian Sayin one of the premier quarterbacks in college.
Now in his junior year, the prodigy has been the catalyst for the Buckeyes’ solid start, with just one loss in five games. Sure, it’s nowhere near how they began last season, but it's still more than enough to warrant attention.
Yet, Sayin is facing scrutiny, and, to be honest, he deserves it. However, with a player of his immense talent, it’s something that can certainly be fixed.
Analysts and fans have observed that Sayin sometimes fixates on WR Jeremiah Smith, even when he’s tightly covered by one or multiple defenders, instead of working through his progressions to find open receivers.
There have been many occasions when Sayin has had open players to exploit, but his mind has focused on finding Smith by any means necessary.Even head coach Ryan Day has addressed it publicly.
“If he's single-covered, he's open. If he's double-covered, he's sort of open. If he's triple-covered, he's covered,” Day said after the 31-14 win over Iowa on October 3.
Why does Sayin do this?
Stats show that Sayin is still producing at an elite level. Fourth in yards at 1,772, tied for third in touchdown passes with 17, and has a sublime 116 completed passes out of 163 attempts.
But while the stats are good, it’s how you play on the field matters, and that has told a different story.
Ohio State’s offense has benefited from the exceptional playmaking ability of Smith, widely regarded as one of the most dominant talents in college football.
His ability to make difficult plays look routine often tempts Sayin to force throws, trusting Smith to come down with the ball even in challenging situations.
Despite that reliance, Sayin has continued to deliver impressive results, ranking among the nation’s leaders in passing yards, touchdowns, and passer rating; he has shown the efficiency and composure needed to lead an elite offense while keeping turnovers under control.
However, as Ohio State prepares for tougher competition, including Indiana, maintaining offensive balance will become increasingly important. Defenses could capitalize on predictable passing patterns if Sayin consistently looks toward Smith in critical situations.
Getting other playmakers, such as Brandon Inniss, more involved would give the Buckeyes greater flexibility and make their offense harder to defend. Ultimately, spreading the ball effectively could prove crucial to Ohio State’s success.
Otherwise, Sayin’s passing and style will be easy to predict and opposing defenders will have a field day with the QB.
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