Julian Sayin gets his first crack at the College Football Postseason, and in the playoffs, it's often the quarterback's fault.
Ohio State Buckeyes' quarterback Julian Sayin has checked almost every single box in his first year as the program's starter.
Whether it was his first start against the preseason No. 1 team in the country, his first road appearance in a hostile environment in Washington, or his first appearance in The Game, he passed every test.
Then, in his first taste of the postseason, Sayin took a step back against the Indiana Hoosiers. Statistically, he was solid, finished the game 21-29 for 258 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
However, the game told a different story.
In the "got to have it" situations, Sayin went 0-2. Twice the Buckeyes got inside the 10 yard line, and twice they didn't score in large part to Sayin. On their first trip into the low red zone, Sayin had a chance to sneak it on 4th and 1 to get a fresh set of downs. Everyone thought he moved the chains, but after review, he slipped, and his knee hit the ground short of the first down for a turnover.
The next time the Buckeyes were in the low red zone, Sayin had the chance to move the chains on 3rd and 2. He had freshman running back Bo Jackson open in the flat for an easy first down. Sayin did not pull the trigger and threw late over the middle for a pass that was knocked away to set up a field goal opportunity that was ultimately missed.
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Those were Sayin's first two high-leverage situations in the entire season, and he came up short on both of them.
I view both of those are major growth opportunities for the budding star. He has shown that he has the ability to do just about everything on the football field. No throw is out of range, no decision is too tough to make, and no window is too tight to throw in.
The ever fleeting "clutch gene" is what comes next.
Now, as Ohio State turns its attention to the College Football Playoff, the learning curve for Sayin needs to be immediate. No matter what level of football, playoff games are often times decided by the quarterback.
It could be a play in the first quarter, a third-down conversion in the second quarter, an escaped sack in the third quarter, or a last-second touchdown in the fourth quarter, but when the story is written, it often falls on the shoulder of the trigger man.
Did he make the play or didn't he make the play.
These Buckeyes are going to find themselves with their backs against the wall at some point this postseason, and when they are, Sayin is going to have to make the play.