Dwayne Haskins during Ohio State's game against TCU in September 2018. Syndication The Columbus Dispatch Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ryan Day Compares Current Ohio State QB To Dwayne Haskins

Originally posted on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI
By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Aug 5, 2025 4:45 PM ET

The late Dwayne Haskins did many great things with the Ohio State Buckeyes. For a quarterback at Ohio State, being compared to him is a big deal.

That should have heads turning in Columbus and specifically toward sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin. Head coach Ryan Day spoke about his quarterback competition on Tuesday, which has come down to Sayin and redshirt sophomore Lincoln Kienholz.

Though he did say both quarterbacks have had good moments in camp and he's seen growth from them, his words about Sayin stood out. Clearly, Day is a big fan of the quarterback that he has the potential to become.

"There’s a lot to like," Day told the media while referencing Sayin (h/t On3). "He’s very smart, makes quick decisions. The ball comes out of his hand. He’s accurate. I think he’s got good movement. He’s got good quickness. He got twitch in his lower half, but he’s got like twitch in his upper half. Remember how quick the ball used to come out of Dwayne [Haskins'] hands? It’s similar with Julian. I think he’s building more and more of a command on the field. Those are all reasons to like him, and he’s improved. He knows what it takes.”

If that doesn't sound like a head coach talking about his future starting quarterback than what would?

Day believes Sayin has the athleticism to be Ohio State's strarting quarterback and right there at the end, by saying "he knows what it takes", he's pointing to Sayin having the work ethic and leadership to lead a program like OSU as well.

The Haskins comparison is also a massive thing for Sayin. Again, Haskins was a star for Ohio State. In his 2018 sophomore season, he threw for 5,396 yards and 54 touchdowns compared to just nine interceptions. He set Big Ten records for single-season passing yards and passing touchdowns and was one of the finalists for the 2018 Heisman Trophy Award. He still owns Ohio State's single-season passing yards and touchdown records, and quarterbacks like Justin Fields, C.J. Stroud and Will Howard have come after him.

Haskins' time at Ohio State was explosive, so Sayin drawing a comparison to him — even if we're just talking about the speed at which the football comes out of his hand — is a big deal.

Notably, Day has not yet named a starting quarterback for 2025, but he does think it's going to be a close battle.

"We’re not where we need to be, but if they continue to learn from the mistakes they’re making, and continue to grow off the plays that they’re doing well and moving the offense and taking care of the football, then it’s going to go right down to the wire," he said.

This clearly isn't a done deal right now, but Sayin has to be feeling good about where he's at after Day's comments today.

This article first appeared on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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