Ryan Day on Julian Sayin starting at QB for Ohio State: 'The guys believe in him'

Ryan Day was very pleased by the progress made by QB Julian Sayin heading into the season opener against Texas. Sayin sat behind Will Howard last year, learning from the veteran en route to a national championship.

Now, it’s Sayin’s time after he won a tight quarterback battle against Lincoln Keinholz in training camp. With what he’s shown leading up to this point, the guys rallied around Sayin, per Day.

He’ll get his shot to make a big statement for Ohio State Saturday against the preseason No. 1 team. Expectations are high, no doubt, but it appears Sayin is ready for the moment.

“When Julian came in, he came in and really had a good spring, good preseason, and then learned behind Will about what it means to be a leader, about what it means to have command in the huddle, what it means to prepare, what it means to go through tough losses and come back from those,” Day said on College GameDay. “So that was an important thing during the process (for) both Lincoln and Julian. You know, I used to say during bed check, make sure you watch how Will Howard’s going about his business, because that’s going to be you guys next year. 

“So he’s learned a lot from there. And then I think as the season’s gone on, or the preseason has gone on, (he has) momentum. You know, he makes quick decisions. I feel like he’s got a good command of the huddle, and it’s like anything else you got to go play and figure out what you got. But I think the guys believe in him because of his ability. Now it’s time to go play.”

It sounds like former coach Urban Meyer is confident in Sayin too. As long as he has the healthy, impressive, cast around him, it’ll be hard for Sayin to “screw it up.”

“I hate to say it like this, because you never want your quarterback to play like this … He can’t screw it up,” Meyer said on The Joel Klatt Show. “I’m sure, you know, they got excellent coaches, and Ryan’s an expert quarterback coach, you give them so many easy throws. You don’t need to win this game, Julian, you do not have to do that. You have enough cats around you, so you’re going to see a bunch of screens, I would imagine, to Jeremiah and that crew. 

“You’re going to see a strong run game. You’re going to see easy throws. And you know what? If you don’t, and I would always tell these young quarterbacks, give us two first downs, and your job is accomplished. That’s all you got to do … just your mindset as you go into each drive. Get two first downs, because in games like this, special teams (matters).”