Ryan Day reveals main reason why Julian Sayin will be QB1 for the Buckeyes this NCAAF season

Winning a National Championship is no easy feat — doing it back-to-back is even harder. That’s something Ryan Day knows all too well, and he’ll be aiming to achieve it with his Ohio State Buckeyes. With Will Howard leaving for the NFL, the door has opened for Julian Sayin to step in as the new starting quarterback for the reigning champions.

The QB battle between Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz ultimately came down to the smallest of details, as the head coach acknowledged the strong performances both players delivered during preseason preparations for the upcoming season.

In a recent conversation with the media, Day revealed the key reasons behind his decision to go with the former Alabama signal-caller, who will take the field as the starter against the Texas Longhorns on August 30.

“I think you’re always looking for consistency and taking care of the football,” he said. “And when you start with practice one in the spring and then kind of do study on the entire growth over six months, you see that there was a lot of growth made. You look at the numbers that the production, we felt like he was in a situation where he was really ready to go play in this game.”

Quarterback Julian Sayin #10 of the Ohio State Buckeyes plays during the first quarter of the Ohio State Spring Game at Ohio Stadium on April 12, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.

“We also feel that Lincoln’s ready to play,” the experienced head coach also added. “But, overall, Julian was more consistent.”

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NCAAF News: Julian Sayin reveals main reason for transferring from Alabama to Ohio State

Becoming a leader for the Buckeyes

After spending last season behind Will Howard, Julian Sayin knows he now has a major opportunity to become the primary leader of a program with serious championship aspirations in college football.

“I feel like I’m developing it, but I feel like it has to be authentic – you can’t be someone you’re not,” the talented QB said via On3.com. “So there’s definitely styles of leadership, but I feel like I’m developing into that more vocal leadership role.”

A tough opener for the champions

The start of the season looks particularly challenging for Ryan Day’s team, as they open at home against Arch Manning’s Texas Longhorns. On top of that, the Buckeyes face a tough stretch of games ahead:

• vs Texas, August 30
• vs Grambling State, September 6
• vs Ohio, September 13
• vs Washington, September 27
• vs Minnesota, October 4