‘He didn’t do anything spectacular’: Will Howard gives Caleb Downs honest review of Julian Sayin’s Ohio State debut
The emergence of player podcasts and media has opened the door for candid conversations and real insights from active athletes. The latest Ohio State podcast to launch stars brothers Caleb Downs and Josh Downs, of the Buckeyes and Indianapolis Colts, respectively. The duo had former Buckeyes quarterback and Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Will Howard on their […]
The emergence of player podcasts and media has opened the door for candid conversations and real insights from active athletes. The latest Ohio State podcast to launch stars brothers Caleb Downs and Josh Downs, of the Buckeyes and Indianapolis Colts, respectively. The duo had former Buckeyes quarterback and Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Will Howard on their new venture, “Downs 2 Business”.
The star safety and identity of Ohio State’s defense had to ask Howard about how his successor, Julian Sayin, fared in his debut. Sayin had played sparingly in 2024 as a true freshman, but won the starting quarterback job this summer. The Buckeyes beat Texas 14-7, with Sayin putting up a respectable and efficient stat line.
Will Howard praises Julian Sayin in Buckeyes debut
Howard was asked about Sayin’s showing beyond just his 13-of-20, 126-yard, and one touchdown stat line. It’s safe to say that Howard likes Sayin’s game and his composure. Those two things just defined Howard’s own successful stint in Columbus as he made college football history as a champion.
“I’m super proud of him, because that is not easy. Playing quarterback at Ohio State at that level is not easy, and especially at 19 or 20 years old now. That was in front of 100,000 people on College Gameday. It’s the biggest regular season game I can remember in a while, and that’s not easy to step into. I’m really proud of him for not putting the ball in harm’s way. He really took care of the ball really well, which is one of the big things in those matchup games. He didn’t do anything spectacular but he didn’t put the team in harm’s way. I think that’s all you can ask for from a guy in his first start in a game like that.”
The Buckeyes outlasted Texas in an offensive struggle, but the Buckeyes felt like the better team for the vast majority of the matchup. Sayin wasn’t asked to be Howard in his debut, but he was key in moving the chains and delivering some timely strikes. In time, Ohio State believes he can reach Howard’s level of production and impact.
Howard led the Big Ten with a ridiculous 73% completion rate, 4,010 passing yards, and 35 touchdowns. The Buckeyes will have almost a month to fine-tune their offense before facing Illinois, and Sayin will surely need to do more if the team’s run game struggles.
But for this week, Sayin is riding high, and he earned a big seal of approval from Howard.
