Ohio State has named second-year player Julian Sayin as its starting quarterback for its highly anticipated season opener against No. 1 Texas at Ohio Stadium.
Coach Ryan Day on Monday announced the decision, noting that Sayin won a close competition against junior Lincoln Kienholz but “separated himself, really, over the last week with his consistent play.” Sayin, the nation’s No. 9 recruit and top prospect from California in 2024, signed with Alabama but transferred to Ohio State following coach Nick Saban’s retirement.
Day met with the quarterbacks Monday morning to inform them of the decision.
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“Our guys are confident again with both quarterbacks; we’ll need both quarterbacks,” Day said. “Lincoln did a lot of great things, but we’re going to name Julian the starter here, give him the majority of the reps with the [starters] and go prepare to beat Texas.”
Sayin appeared in four games for Ohio State in 2024, logging 27 snaps and completing 5 of 12 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. He entered the offseason as the favorite to win the job, earning praise from several Ohio State players who moved on to the NFL from the national championship team. But Kienholz, who has not played since the 2023 Cotton Bowl against Missouri, when he completed 6 of 17 passes for 86 yards, made a legitimate push for the top job, showcasing athleticism and other traits.
Day said that dividing practice reps becomes more difficult when preparing to face an opening opponent like Texas the closer you get to the game. Sayin’s recent surge put him over the top.
“You’re always looking for consistency and taking care of the football,” Day said. “When you start with practice 1 in the spring and do a study on the entire growth over six months, you can see there’s a lot of growth made. You look at the numbers and the production, we felt like [Sayin] was in a situation where he was ready to go play in this game.
“We also feel like Lincoln’s ready to play, but overall, Julian is more consistent.”
Kienholz will serve as Sayin’s backup against the Longhorns, whom Ohio State beat in the CFP semifinal at the Cotton Bowl in January. Freshman Tavien St. Clair, the No. 10 overall recruit in the 2025 class, will be third on the depth chart.
Day said Kienholz handled the news well and practiced well Monday with good energy.
“He knows in his heart he’s going to play this year,” Day said. “He’s a competitor, I’m sure he wants to play in the first game, but I wouldn’t say he’s discouraged. … The team knows that we’re going to need him, and he knows.”
Day opened his news conference Monday by declining to comment on the NCAA penalties handed down to archrival Michigan for the sign-stealing scandal, which included a significant fine and a three-game suspension for coach Sherrone Moore, two of which will be served during the 2025 season.