‘This Is the Guy’ — Julian Sayin’s QB1 Status Faces Fresh Twist With Tavien St. Clair Prediction
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Julian Sayin has firmly become the clear leader of Ohio State’s offense. While he enters the 2026 season as the main point of attention, one of the Buckeyes’ most intriguing long-term developments could be unfolding behind him on the depth chart, and that is the growth of Tavien St. Clair.
Why Ohio State Might Play Tavien St. Clair Early Instead of Julian Sayin
Ohio State’s 2026 schedule features a Week 3 matchup against Kent State. It is an unranked MAC program that could provide an ideal opportunity for the Buckeyes to give meaningful snaps to other quarterbacks like St. Clair.
Analyst RJ Young floated the discussion in his “Adapt & Respond” podcast on Sunday.
“So Tavien St. Clair game- I think I can tell you exactly when you can expect to see Ohio State quarterback Tavien St. Clair,” Young said. “I’m going to go out on a limb on this one, I am, but I got a little data, and I got the research that I’m going through… Today we’re going to focus on Ohio State-Kent State… I’m not just going to tell you that I think it’s St Clair’s first start. I really do.”
“I think that Tavien St. Clair, if he shows what’s necessary in the preseason, he’ll have a chance to do that again in game time against a lesser opponent with probably a bunch of twos on the field… So if he (Day) puts Tavien St. Clair out there, I think everybody will know by then that this is the heir apparent. This is the guy who is going to be our guy. We don’t need to go into the portal, go get us a Will Howard.”
A comparable approach with St. Clair could benefit both the player and the program. Providing him with game reps against Kent State would allow him to gain valuable experience while helping Ohio State prepare for a future in which he could be called upon as the full-time starter by 2027. St. Clair also appeared more comfortable and decisive running the offense during spring practices, making additional live-action experience a logical next step in his development.
Meanwhile, Sayin remains Ohio State’s clear QB1 heading into the 2026 season. He became one of college football’s most efficient passers in 2025, leading the nation with a 77.0% completion rate. His performance earned him a 90.8 score in the PFSN College Football QB Impact.
For 2026, Day has challenged Sayin to become more effective as a runner, which was an area of emphasis throughout spring practice. He will also be tasked with leading Arthur Smith’s revamped offensive system as Ohio State prepares for the upcoming season.
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