Is Ohio State Buckeyes football coach Ryan Day sacrificing Brian Hartline to make Julian Sayin look better and receive less scrutiny? Cleveland.com's Jimmy Watkins floated the possibility into the ether in a piece that explains why Sayin's Heisman hype is subdued right now.
It's by design. OSU has defeated the Texas Longhorns, Washington Huskies, Minnesota Golden Gophers, and Illinois Fighting Illini with a slow-and-steady approach, which has allowed Sayin to have efficient but conservative stats during his first season as QB1.
As Watkins noted, Day has been particular about Sayin because the quarterback position in Columbus is a pressure-cooker that few redshirt freshmen are ever prepared to deal with.
"I know offensive coordinator Brian Hartline calls the plays now, and the Buckeyes have built big leads," Watkins prefaced before saying, "But Day is still wearing a headset, too. The passing opportunities have been there. And the Buckeyes have chosen to throttle down.
"Why?
"To protect the defense, sure. But I also think Day would prefer fans nitpick his staff for conservative calls instead of picking on Sayin for a pass thrown 4 inches wide.
"Yes, it happens. And yes, the scrutiny scars. Day knows this better than anyone. And we don’t need to get into that right now.
"But Day doesn’t want his redshirt freshman quarterback, who’s started just six college games, to stare into his spotlight yet, either. Reminder: Back in the spring, before Day named a starter, he described the challenges of playing quarterback in Columbus.
"And he wasn’t talking schematics."
Ohio State better off with another title over another Heisman
Frustration about Sayin, and by proxy, receiver Jeremiah Smith, not getting enough opportunities to prove Heisman-worthy is understandable for a fanbase that has not seen a Heisman winner in nearly two decades. But ask the LSU Tigers, USC Trojans, or, especially, the Alabama Crimson Tide fanbase if they would've traded a Heisman winner for a national championship.
They'd all scoff at the idea that Sayin and/or Smith's individual success should mean more to Ohio State fans than a championship.
Luckily, the players know the goal is greater than the glory, and Day, Hartline, and Matt Patricia are certainly coaching the Buckeyes like that's a fact.