The Ohio State quarterback conundrum continues to shape the major preseason discussion. Ryan Day and the squad just came fresh off their 11th spring game this week. But it still looks like a mystery whether Julian Sayin can handle the mammoth pressure on his shoulders. That’s a familiar saga for every team- from Alabama to Georgia. But considering how the Buckeyes have dodged all the setbacks and lifted the trophy at Mercedes-Benz Stadium over the Fighting Irish, all eyes are on them. Day needs to be smart while naming the starting quarterback for the defending champions. Can Sayin take the crown, toppling the other two on the list?

The battle in Columbus features three central characters, namely, red-shirt freshman Julian Sayin, red-shirt sophomore Lincoln Kienholz, and true freshman Tavien St. Clair. Now, Sayin received unprecedented hype, and not for nothing. The Alabama transfer has built a strong footing in his high school years. The Carlsbad kid managed to rack up 7824 passing yards, 85 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in high school. His seamless run game and the extremely on-point QB instinct made him an absolute standout.

But ON3’s JD PicKell isn’t even concerned about the result of a fierce QB battle. All he doubts is the immediate aftereffect of winning the job. That’s an area that many might overlook. Of course, Sayin has room to develop. But the question is, will the 6’1 QB get that sweet time under a high-pressure QB structure? “My question isn’t anything physical with Julian Sayin. My question is everything that comes with being the quarterback at Ohio State, and we’ve said this a couple of times. But I want to say it again. Being the guy at Ohio State, obviously, if you win the job, you’re different physically. But you see, it takes something a little bit different to be able to handle all that comes with that,” the ON3 journalist raised a unique concern over the 20-year-old.

Julian Sayin, as a former five-star recruit, has a lot to swallow. Also, he had adequate experience in the Buckeyes’ offense and is pretty well aware of the elite history of the QB1 role that he needs to recreate. He needs to be the leader on and off the field that everyone looks up to. While Day seems pretty gushed about his leadership credibility, it’s a long way to go.

“My point is, everything around your play as a quarterback at Ohio State is under an extreme microscope. That’s a lot for anybody, much less a college kid. And so, to be able to live up to the expectations of that fan base, your quarterback not just has to make it all go. You have to be the elevator of that roster.” PicKell set the exact bar for Sayin going forward.

Revert to how Howard’s arrival has shifted the entire paradigm in the OSU locker room and boosted everyone with tons of energy to perform exquisitely. Sayin can be his ideal successor. But wait, the ongoing spring practice depicts some glaring loopholes that seem to be an early red flag.

Julian Sayin shows signs of frailty in the scrimmage 

Sayin experienced some troubles last weekend (March 28-29). This is the first time Ohio State decided to do a scrimmage during spring practices. It’s kind of an innovative way to judge your quarterbacks early, for sure! But Sayin looks a lot weaker than we thought in the first splash. ESPN’s Greg McElroy pointed out the major consequences of a bumpy practice for the youngster this week.

“A lot of us coming into the spring season were under the assumption that it was going to be Julian Sayin. Well, by all accounts, that’s not really the way it’s working out right now,” McElroy said on the Always College Football podcast. “Julian Sayin, by all accounts, did not have a great scrimmage last week. It sounds like he kind of struggled on Saturday. The expectation level of Julian Sayin was nowhere near what we ended up getting, and that’s a little bit concerning.”

On the flip, Lincoln Kienholz looks a lot more settled in his game that day. Is that the time to get on your toes? Well, maybe, considering how vehemently the guys are waiting in line for their chances to win it all right off the bat.