NCAAF News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Newsletter

Power Rankings

Ryan Day compares key part of Julian Sayin's game to recent Ohio State and current NFL superstar QB

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Ian Valentino | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 12:06 AM ET

The hours are counting down to Ohio State's Week 1 matchup against Texas, and excitement is building. Some jitters are, too, but these blue blood programs won't admit that right now. This rematch of a terrific College Football Playoff game is far from a defining moment for anyone, since it's the first game of the season, but it is the start of many things.

That's especially the case for quarterback Julian Sayin. The redshirt freshman won the starting job at Ohio State, putting the former elite prospect who flipped from Alabama to join Ryan Day after Nick Saban retired, in line to be the next developed star at the school. CJ Stroud was the last one before Kyle McCord and Will Howard were one-year stopgaps (and Howard was a historically good winner).

Day went so far as to compare one aspect of Sayin's game to the star of the Houston Texans this week. He noted Sayin boasts "good short-area quickness" and said he's similar to Stroud with his nuanced feet. "He's quick. He's got good short-area quickness. He can move well in the pocket and gets the ball out of his hand quickly," Day said.

Ryan Day said Julian Sayin has "good short-area quickness" and compared Sayin to C.J. Stroud in that regard.

"He's quick. He's got good short-area quickness. He can move well in the pocket and gets the ball out of his hand quickly," Day said.
— Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) August 26, 2025

Buckeye fans and Day would be quite happy if Sayin has a similar career success as Stroud, especially if he beats Michigan.

In 2021, Stroud won the starting job in a competitive quarterback battle, marking the beginning of his meteoric rise. That season, he threw for 4,435 yards, 44 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, leading the Buckeyes to an 11-2 record and a thrilling Rose Bowl victory over Utah, where he earned MVP honors with 573 passing yards—a school record. His performance earned him fourth place in Heisman Trophy voting and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year.

In 2022, Stroud continued his dominance, amassing 3,688 yards, 41 touchdowns, and six interceptions, guiding Ohio State to an 11-2 record and a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Highlights included a 349-yard, four-touchdown performance against Michigan State and a valiant effort in the Peach Bowl loss to Georgia, where he threw for 348 yards and four scores. He finished third in Heisman voting, becoming the first Ohio State quarterback to be a finalist in consecutive years.

Stroud's poise under pressure, accuracy (completing over 66% of passes career-wide), and leadership transformed the Buckeyes' offense into one of the nation's most explosive, averaging over 45 points per game in 2021. Off the field, he was known for his work ethic and community involvement. His two-year starting tenure solidified his legacy as one of Ohio State's greats, holding records for passing efficiency and touchdowns in a season.

Stroud declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, selected second overall by the Texans, capping a Buckeye career that blended individual brilliance with team success

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: