What Ryan Day wants from Julian Sayin in his heart and in his head

The first and last starts from C.J. Stroud's career set a template of what may be to come for the new Buckeyes' quarterback

Julian Sayin is one of five quarterbacks for a preseason top 25 team with no career starts. (Photo by Doug Lesmerises)

COLUMBUS — Ryan Day said Tuesday he doesn’t want to label quarterbacks. Maybe guys share traits, Ohio State’s coach said, but each quarterback is his own player.

So we won’t label. But let’s learn.

In reliving C.J. Stroud’s first start at Ohio State and then his last start as a Buckeye, I think you’ll find exactly what Day wants from Julian Sayin.

In Stroud’s career, you see the process that will begin for Sayin on Saturday against Texas, but should take some time. And in Sayin’s potential, you see what still are the ideal traits for a Day quarterback.

That’s true even if what Day wants in his head and wants in his heart from a QB don’t always seem to match up.

Let’s start at the end of Stroud’s career, when I stood in a hallway with the coach and the quarterback after Ohio State’s College Football Playoff loss to Georgia to end the 2022 season.

That’s what tells you what Day wants in his heart.