Julian Sayin, quarterback whispering and what this QB season could show about Ohio State: Doug Rants

A look at Ohio State's recent QB history and what this trio of coaches around Sayin could mean this year.

Julian Sayin is back for Year 2 as a starter. (Photo by Doug Lesmerises)

10 thoughts on Julian Sayin, Ryan Day and Ohio State football.

1. Boy, can you find old thoughts on the internet. This wasn’t one of my cleveland.com hot takes from four years ago. It was just a look at the future of Ohio State quarterbacking after Dylan Raiola committed to Ohio State in March of 2022.

   Ohio State didn’t have a 2023 quarterback pledge at the time (Lincoln Kienholz would eventually be the guy), but I lined up the possible future of the OSU QB rooms:

   2022: C.J. Stroud, Kyle McCord, Devin Brown

   2023 season: McCord, Brown

   2024 season: McCord, Brown, Dylan Raiola

   2025 season: Brown, Raiola

   How far were we from a Devin Brown-Dylan Raiola Ohio State quarterback battle last season? Brown transferred to Cal after 2024, and Raiola never came close to becoming a Buckeye. After his decommitment, he started his career at Nebraska and is now at Oregon.

   (A further examination of how often Ohio State’s initial quarterback plans change will be written at a later date.)

2. I feel like I’m constantly thinking about the shape of the Ohio State quarterback room. True then, true now. Three weeks ago I asked if the 2026 QB room was the best of Ryan Day’s career. Last season, I praised Kienholz as the ultimate backup QB for modern times. My first piece on this site compared Tavien St. Clair to Arch Manning.

   Seriously, me, what is up? Maybe give the QB obsession a rest.

   It is likely fueled by curiosity around the most important position in sports. We were all pretty into it when Jim Tressel was recruiting Terrelle Pryor and Braxton Miller.

   But I’m also always intrigued by what Day is going to do with the quarterbacks he gets on campus.