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The Ohio State Buckeyes<\/a> couldn’t defend their title last season<\/a>, but Ryan Day’s<\/a> team is always tabbed with huge aspirations.<\/p>\n This season isn’t the exception to that rule, more so with a budding star like Julian Sayin<\/a> under center. Sayin, a projected NFL first-round pick, struggled under pressure and in collapsed pockets, but he still showed flashes of great talent when given enough time and room to operate.<\/p>\n According to his head coach, that shouldn’t be an issue next season. When asked about Sayin, Day had nothing but great things to say about his young signal-caller.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you look in his eye now, you see a different person,\u201d Day said<\/a> at the Big Ten Media Days, per On3. \u201cI think the first thing you recognize is his accuracy. What you don\u2019t see, but I see, is his intelligence level. He can handle high levels of information. He\u2019s highly, highly motivated. He\u2019s really embraced this leadership role.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Day also claimed that Sayin got stronger after last season. However, his skinny frame wasn’t necessarily what held him back. Sayin turned the ball over at a high clip late in the season, including a 72-yard pick-six in the heartbreaking playoff loss to the Hurricanes.<\/p>\n Still, with one of the premier sets of offensive players in the nation, including projected top-five pick Jeremiah Smith, one of the premier coaching staffs\u00a0<\/a>in the game and time to look back on his mistakes, bulk up and work on his fundamentals, Sayin should be in for a breakout year in 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nRyan Day says Julian Sayin is “a different person”<\/h2>\n
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