Jeremiah Smith expects Ohio State QB to 'put on a show'

The nation's top wide receiver has complete confidence in his starting quarterback for the upcoming season.

Electric sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who was a first-team All-American for Ohio State as a freshman during the 2024 season, expects the Buckeyes' QB1, redshirt freshman Julian Sayin, to shine in Columbus this year.

"I’m expecting Julian to go out there every single week and put on a show," Smith said this week on "The Triple Option" podcast. "Julian’s a smart player and a smart quarterback. He can make any and every throw. A student of the g ame and I just can’t wait to see the things he does this year."

Earlier this week, head coach Ryan Day named the 6-foot-1, 208-pound Sayin as the team's starting signal-caller. In a tightly contested competition, Sayin beat out redshirt sophomore Lincoln Kienholz.

In 2024, Sayin took a redshirt after appearing in four games for Ohio State, which defeated Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

For the Buckeyes, Sayin will replace fellow quarterback Will Howard, who led Ohio State to the title this past season and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Sayin, a transfer from Alabama, completed 5-of-12 passes for 84 yards and one touchdown as a freshman. Before heading to the col legiate level, he was a standout at Carlsbad High School in Carlsbad, Calif.

Within the 2024 class, the industry-generated 247Sports Composite rated Sayin as five stars, No. 6 overall, No. 1 at quarterback and No. 1 in California.

Sayin won't have much time to ease into his starting quarterback role. Ohio State, No. 3 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll, has a Week 1 battle on its hands.

On Saturday, Aug. 30, the Buckeyes will host No. 1 Texas, which is led by a stud quarterback in redshirt sophomore Arch Manning. The Longhorns present a massive initial challenge for Ohio State.

Day's program should be up to the task. While Sayin doesn't have a lot of prior college experience, one of his key receiver targets is the 6-foot-3, 223-pound Smith, who hauled in 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns as a freshman.

Smith is a significant Heisman Trophy contender in 2025. Much like Sayin, Smith was highly ranked in the 2024 cycle. The 247Sports Composite had Smith, who went to the Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School in Hollywood, Fla., as five stars, No. 1 nationally, No. 1 at wide receiver and No. 1 in Florida.

In preseason projections, many pundits forecast either Ohio State or No. 2 Penn State to win the Big Ten Conference championship in the upcoming campaign.