Rival Coach Shades QB Julian Sayin, 'There Wasn't Much That I Saw' in Games vs. Ohio State

Despite Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin's success in his first year as a full-time starter, it sounds like not everyone is convinced of his abilities.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg noted that Sayin "didn't have game-manager numbers but had that feel at times for an Ohio State team that relied on a historically elite defense," and he spoke to a rival Big Ten coach who expressed skepticism about his skills.

"In the games that we played, there wasn't much that I saw from [Sayin], other than he just ran the offense very well," the coach told Rittenberg.

Sayin set a Big Ten single-season completion percentage record at 77 percent and finished the year with 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He was named a Heisman Trophy finalist, but the wheels fell off at the worst possible time.

Three of Sayin's eight interceptions came in losses against Indiana in the Big Ten Championship and Miami in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, respectively. His struggles in the biggest moments of the season raised questions about his mental makeup.

Rittenberg noted that Sayin "has added muscle to his upper body" and now checks in at 6'1" and 208 pounds. Still, the strategy to throw him off has been exposed, and opponents are ready to challenge him this year.

"He's not a very big guy, I do like the way he manages the game and throws it," a Big Ten defensive coordinator said. "The way they use him, he's been pretty unwilling to run. He's a good athlete, but you want to try to get him out where he doesn't want to be."