Julian Sayin’s numbers look the part of an elite college quarterback. The film, though, tells a slightly different story.
Ohio State’s junior has helped steady the Buckeyes through a 4-1 start, and his production is impossible to ignore. Sayin is fourth in the country in passing yards with 1,772, tied for third in touchdown passes with 17, and he has completed 116 of 163 attempts. On paper, that’s the résumé of a quarterback steering one of the nation’s best offenses.
But there’s a growing issue around how he’s getting there. Sayin has drawn scrutiny for zeroing in on WR Jeremiah Smith, even when Smith is blanketed by one or more defenders, instead of moving through his reads and finding someone open.
In plenty of those snaps, there has been another option available. Sayin’s eyes, though, have often stayed locked on Smith.
Ryan Day addressed that tendency directly after Ohio State’s 31-14 win over Iowa on October 3.
“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.
Smith’s rare ability changes the geometry of the field. He makes tough catches look routine, and that kind of talent naturally tempts a quarterback to trust him in spots that are not always clean.
Sayin has leaned into that trust, and for the most part the results have still been there. He has been efficient, composed, and careful with the football while producing at a high level in the passing game.
Still, the film side of the conversation matters, especially with Indiana and tougher opponents ahead. If Ohio State keeps leaning too hard on Smith in big moments, defenses will have a clearer road to sitting on the pattern. That’s where getting more from other weapons, including Brandon Inniss, comes into play.
For the Buckeyes, the next step is obvious: keep the production, but widen the distribution. If Sayin can spread the ball around more consistently, Ohio State’s offense becomes harder to anticipate and a lot harder to stop.
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For a Buckeyes defense preparing for a Big Ten test, that mix matters because it can force constant discipline at every level of the field. The same analysis also pointed to tactics other teams have used against Indiana, giving Ohio State a few possible answers to study before kickoff, even if the real challenge will be carrying those ideas onto the field and finding out which ones actually hold up. [Read more 🡒]
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Ohio State May Be Getting Key Help As One Problem Lingers
Ryan Day said Ohio State could get a much healthier look ahead of its game against Indiana, with several key players who missed the Maryland game expected back in the mix. The update matters for a team still trying to settle in after dealing with absences, and it gives the Buckeyes a chance to restore some stability on both sides of the ball as they move deeper into the stretch run.
Still, one familiar issue has not gone away. Day pointed to the red zone offense as a work in progress, and Ohio State has been adjusting personnel packages in search of better scoring efficiency once it gets close to the goal line. Some players remain questionable because of injuries or non-football illnesses, so even with reinforcements potentially on the way, the Buckeyes are still waiting to see how complete they can be when they line up against Indiana. [Read more 🡒]