Ohio State Buckeyes QB coach Billy Fessler was elevated to his role last year, and Julian Sayin made him look good in 2025, to say the least. Quickly, as a freshman, Sayin looked like a star under center, only looking unprepared during OSU's final two games, both losses, to the Indiana Hoosiers and Miami Hurricanes.
Now, for Fessler, is the hard part. Sayin needs to look better in 2026, or else Fessler will be blamed for not getting more from the former 5-star recruit out of Carlsbad, California. Not only that, but whenever Sayin is done, his primary backup, Tavien St. Clair needs to be ready to be handed the baton.
Land-Grant Holy Land's Cole Van Wiechen put the onus on Fessler to have both players looking elite over the next few years, or else be one of those blamed for the Buckeyes' fall from grace as a contender.
"But as always, the difference between contending and winning comes down to quarterback play. Billy Fessler may not be the most visible coach on the staff, but his impact will be felt every Saturday. If Sayin makes the leap to elite and St. Clair develops into the next answer, Ohio State’s championship window stays wide open," Van Wiechen wrote.
"If not, the margin narrows quickly."
Billy Fessler could be an easy target for Ryan Day if things go sour
Ryan Day's title bought him an extra season of leeway before the powers that be consider his seat unsafe. If things go south with Sayin or St. Clair within the next few seasons, Fessler could be one of Day's first scapegoats.
Fessler is entering his fourth season as a QB coach. His career is just getting started at the age of 30, and this Ohio State stint is the best thing on his budding resume. He'll be able to parlay this into a great gig elsewhere.
Fessler, like any other coach who wasn't in his current seat for the 2024/2025 title run, must continually earn his employment at the premier College Football institution in the NIL/rev-share era. If he doesn't earn his keep, he won't be earning paychecks in Columbus for long.
On the flip side, if things do go well, Fessler is set in this sport during the next hiring cycle. An offensive coordinator gig elsewhere would not be out of the realm of possibility sometime in 2027 or 2028 at the current trajectory his Buckeyes career is on. If he waits long enough, maybe he could even be Day's next internal hire in the vein of Brian Hartline last year.