Last season, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin stepped into the starting role like he was born for it, leading the Buckeyes to a 12-2 overall record, including appearances in the Big Ten Championship and the College Football Playoff.
However, Sayin and the Buckeyes lost both of their postseason games, and just one year removed from the National Championship, head coach Ryan Day isn't satisfied quite yet.
When discussing what Sayin needs to do to take the next step, and a few more, to take Ohio State back to the top of the sport, Day knew exactly what his quarterback had to check off.
"We know [his legs are] the X-factor that has to show up this year," Day said while discussing the fact that Sayin has to make plays with his legs and not rely entirely on downfield passes or on his running backs.
Ryan Day wants Julian Sayin to use his legs
Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that Sayin is going to run the ball all the time this season. While yes, that might increase, it also means that the Buckeye quarterback has to create time and space for himself in the pocket by using his legs, to give his targets a chance to actually get downfield.
Last season, Sayin earned 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns through the air, but he was also sacked 16 times. He lost 44 yards on the ground and scored zero (yes, 0) rushing touchdowns.
Compare that to a similarly experienced quarterback like Texas's Arch Manning, who was sacked 23 times (mostly due to an inexperienced O-Line) but still ran for 399 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, and Sayin clearly has a lot of work to do.
Also read: Ryan Day deeply concerned with one Ohio State position group
No, Ohio State's offensive line wasn't perfect last season, but Sayin didn't increase his chances by using his legs to create space either.
This season, for the Buckeyes to be a serious contender for the National Championship, Sayin has to be willing and able to use his legs much more than he did last year.