Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin is perfectly media-trained heading into his third season in College Football. He gave the exact answers you need to give when discussing something as delicate as a coaching change.
For Sayin, few changes are as significant as the play-caller. Newly-hired offensive coordinator Arthur Smith got Sayin's seal of approval, as was always going to be the case for a redshirt sophomore QB talking about his new superior in the first week of spring practice.
“Coach Smith has been great. He’s brought a lot of knowledge and experience. Just learning from him and seeing how he sees the game has been really valuable ... There are some differences (from Brian Hartline's playbook), but a lot of it is just learning how he wants things done and how he sees certain concepts. It’s been good for us." Sayin said.
"Just executing the offense, the way it’s supposed to be run. When everyone is on the same page, it can be really good.”
As you could predict, Sayin had nothing but encouraging and good-natured things to say about Brian Hartline's departure to Tampa for the USF Bulls' head coaching job.
“Coach Hartline did a great job with this offense. He helped build a lot of what we do. We’re all happy for him. That’s a big opportunity! Anytime you have change, you have to adjust. But it’s been a really good process for us.”
Julian Sayin's most important endorsement was Chris Henry Jr.
More important than any other opinion of Sayin's is his thoughts on the high-priced skill-position he's tasked to make magic with on the outside. Sayin was highly complimentary of Chris Henry Jr., saying, “He’s been making great plays. I’m excited about him."
He could be excited about Henry. But Sayin sharing that there are results is the most consequential soundbite he shared at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center this week. Henry could be asked to be a Carnell Tate stand-in right off the bat in the offense.
That's on Sayin, as is the burden of everyone's opinion of how Smith does in Hartline's stead in the lead play-caller's seat.