Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin wasn't bad against Kent State, but left a lot to be desired for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin got the job done against the Kent State Golden Flashes. The only problem is that against Kent State, the requirement isn't to get the job done; the requirement is to play sharp and put together a really good game.
Sayin did not do that.
On the day, Julian finished 18 for 22 for 241 yards and two scores. Those numbers are fantastic, but in two critical spots, the Buckeyes' signal caller came up short.
The first was in a must-score situation. Ohio State linebacker Riley Pettijohn intercepted a pass on the prior drive, setting the Buckeyes up with first and 10 from the Kent State 13. That's a must-score scenario against Texas, let alone Kent State.
After the first three plays, set up a 4th and 5 from the Kent 8 yardline, Sayin dropped back to pass and locked in on Jeremiah Smith. Well, Smith ended up being triple-covered, and the backside of the route concept was cut wide open. That player was Brandon Inniss, who was in the end zone without anyone within five yards of him.
Sayin didn't see him and didn't step up into the pocket in which he was sacked, largely because of his fault.
Then the next failed fourth-down conversion was the one that was a head-scratcher. The Buckeyes had the ball on 4th and 2 from the Kent 49 after they failed to run the football well enough.
Ohio State lined up empty and got the exact thing that they wanted. Jeremiah Smith was one-on-one against a cornerback and had an easy win on his hands. He hit a corner route and was open by about 5 yards.
Sayin through the ball more vertically up the field while Smith cut his route sharply. The throw missed by about 15 yards, and the Buckeyes were left scratching their heads.
Those two scenarios, fresh off the meltdown in Austin, leave Buckeye fans really uncomfortable with their quarterback heading into Big Ten play. The reality is that against better competition, it is these types of plays that cost a team.
The really unnerving part is that these are the same things that bit him in the postseason last year. It was a low red-zone lack of execution that cost Sayin and the Buckeyes last year; it cost them last week, and it showed up again on Saturday.
There are fair concerns to be raised about the Buckeyes' quarterback. This isn't to say that they cannot win because of him; this is to say that the same things that cost the Buckeyes last year are still happening for the quarterback.
Work to do in Columbus, Big Ten play up next.
