Carlsbad’s Julian Sayin to start at QB for defending champion Ohio State

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Former Carlsbad High School star Julian Sayin will be Ohio State’s starting quarterback when the No. 3 Buckeyes open the season against top-ranked Texas on Aug. 30, coach Ryan Day announced Monday.

Day, who is in his seventh year leading the Buckeyes, said Sayin was more consistent in the competition with Lincoln Kienholz but there was some separation over the past week.

“It was a close competition. I think both guys we all feel confident can win a game for us. I feel like our guys are confident with both quarterbacks, I feel like we are going to need both quarterbacks,” Day said. “Lincoln did a lot of great things, but we’re going to name Julian the starter, give him the majority of the reps with the ones and go prepare to beat Texas.”

Sayin is listed as a sophomore but has four years of eligibility remaining. He originally committed to Alabama as the top-rated quarterback in the Class of 2024 and was taking classes when Nick Saban retired. Sayin then entered the transfer portal last spring and came to Ohio State. He played in four games last season, including the College Football Playoff first-round game against Tennessee, and he was 5 for 12 for 84 yards and one touchdown while taking 27 snaps.

He completed 17 of 24 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown in Ohio State’s spring game.

“I think earning trust is just all about consistency, who are you day in and day out, and are you making the routine plays routinely. Are you someone who the offense can count on and who your teammates can count on consistently?” Sayin said on Aug. 5 about his approach.

Offensive coordinator Brian Hartline also pointed out Sayin’s consistency, along with limited turnovers and emergence as a leader, in his body of work.

“The command and earning the respect of your peers. Ultimately, the locker room always knows,” Hartline said.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian tried to recruit Sayin and said after Monday’s announcement that he had a ton of respect for him. Sayin had a stellar three-year varsity career at Carlsbad, posting a 30-4 record as a starter while throwing for 7,970 yards and 86 touchdowns for his career. Sayin completed 160 of 212 passes for 2,369 yards and 24 TDs as a senior, throwing just one interception.

In January 2024, Sayin was named the Gatorade California Football Player of the Year. He was one of three finalists for Gatorade’s National Player of the Year award, but lost out to Florida’s DJ Lagway.

“We recruited him hard here. He was a very gifted passer, really good player. Came to camp with us, I think, two years in a row. So we got a lot of familiarity with him,” Sarkisian said. “Very good player, elite passer, very good arm talent, very quick release, really accurate guy. Obviously, he’s got great weapons around him, so he’s the type of guy that can utilize those weapons in a good system. So, it poses a heck of a challenge.”

Sayin won’t be the most-hyped quarterback in the opener. That goes to Texas’ Arch Manning, who is considered an early Heisman Trophy contender.