With Julian Sayin locked in as Ohio State’s 2026 starter, the spotlight now shifts to his backup. But for Ryan Day, ‘backup’ isn’t a passive role; it’s a high-stakes mission with a clear set of demands that could define the Buckeyes’ season. Day’s focus is already on the man waiting in the wings, Tavien St. Clair, and the crucial role he must play.

“Tavien is someone who really has to step up for us,” Day said in an interview as reported by 247Sports. “He’s going to have to be right there behind Julian and be ready to go.” 

He added, “The schedule that we’re playing next year, you’ve seen what it looks like. So, Tavien’s got to really take the next step. We’ve seen the talent. We know that he can throw it.”

Despite being the top-ranked quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class, St. Clair didn’t throw a pass in 2025, yet he still made significant progress, such as shedding his black stripe before the Illinois game, demonstrating his growth behind the scenes.

He had appeared in the Week 2 victory against Grambling State and played 13 snaps in the blowout, going 0-2 passing. St. Clair’s transformation from a small-town prospect into a developing collegiate quarterback has become the foundation of Day’s unwavering confidence in him as Sayin’s backup.

He has steadily leveled up each year playing small-town ball, and a few seasons of college development could unlock his full potential. On the camp circuit, he earned Day’s trust, showing he can make nearly every throw and possesses the physical tools to compete at the top level.

At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, he has the ideal size for the position, plus more agility and creativity as a runner than many give him credit for. His core strength lets him fire accurate passes even when off-balance. In this process, he has got the full support from Day.

This trust extends beyond game situations into daily practice routines. “The nicest one would probably be were working deep balls, we work deep balls, and he always has me come with him to throw the deep balls to the receivers because he’s like, ‘You can put it out there to wherever I want you to put it,'” St. Clair said.

The quarterback dynamic at Ohio State mirrors what’s happening elsewhere in college football. Just as Ohio State relies on a reliable starter-backup group, Utah enters 2026 with Devon Dampier leading the way and Byrd Ficklin waiting in the wings.

Day equally raises the bar for Sayin, maintaining the program’s championship expectations regardless of who’s under center.

Ryan Day made a statement on Julian Sayin

Fresh off his first season as a starter, Sayin has quickly emerged as one of college football’s brightest stars. Last season, the 2026 starter for Day’s squad put up 3,610 passing yards and 33 touchdowns, showcasing both arm talent and poise under pressure. What stands out even more is Sayin’s average time to throw.

Day’s quarterback logged in 2.92 seconds, the second-longest among the eight quarterbacks who went to the playoffs. While that number might raise eyebrows for some, it underscores his patience and ability to read defenses. 

“So, this offseason will be critical for him,” Day released a statement acknowledging Sayin’s contributions. “He did a great job this season of going down to the scout team, competing, going against the best defense in the country every day in practice. So, all that stuff really is going to add up to having a big spring and preseason for him.”

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Sayin topped PFF’s February 1 rankings of returning quarterbacks for 2026, earning a 92.9 grade. Even stars like Dante Moore (90.5) and Brendan Sorsby (89.2) couldn’t keep pace with Day’s signal-caller.

Can Ryan Day’s quarterback duo lift the Buckeyes back into the top tier after Ohio State fell outside the top 20 in passing, scoring, and total offense?