Big Ten Media Days 2026: Julian Sayin Interview

The Big Ten conference has a great quarterback in Ohio State hurler Julian Sayin. He sat down for a one-on-one interview at Big Ten Media Days. One of the important things he did was praise his offensive line. Quarterbacks always do that.

One of the interesting things he revealed about himself was that he literally eats like a dog. He said before last year’s games, the pregame meal of choice for the quarterbacks consisted of eggs, potatoes, a biscuit and some fruit. However, outside of game day, he said, “honestly, one of my favorite meals is ground beef and rice and vegetables. It’s honestly my go-to. I call it the dog bowl – it’s like what you feed your dog is what people say. But it tastes really good to me. It’s healthy, it’s protein, so I enjoy it.” Did you think quarterbacks would have such strange meal preferences?

Big Ten quarterback Julian Sayin

Julian Sayin is the starting quarterback for the favorites in the Big Ten Conference. He is a polarizing player. Some criticize his immobility and lack of leadership. However, Sayin recently revealed himself to be a normal, if a bit quirky, kid.

Sayin likes to play golf away from the football field. He has a 13 handicap and says the sport, which requires great concentration, helps to sharpen his competitive edge. He said, “This summer I’m huge into golf. I’ve been playing golf a bunch. It’s really fun. It’s such a good sport because it’s a sport that’s not strenuous on your body, so as an athlete, you can go play it without any risk. And then it’s also super competitive, so your mental game is working the entire time. You get your competitive juices flowing. It’s awesome.”

However, football is life for Sayin, the returning Heisman Trophy finalist, and all Big Ten Quarterback said, “I played a little bit of basketball as a middle school kid, lacrosse, but I kind of” Sayin said. “I just loved it.” He could not envision doing anything else if he was not playing football.

He said, “If I wasn’t a football player, it’s hard to think that my life wouldn’t involve football just because I love the game so much. I think I would still be around it. I would still be involved. Maybe doing something in the water in California or something like that, but I would probably still be involved in football.”

Praises Teammates, Who is the Funniest?

In the One-on-One interview, Sayin obviously praised his offensive line. The line returns more than 90 starts, but was decimated in both the Big Ten Championship Game against Indiana and in the College Football Playoff against Miami. Sayin is expected to run more this season, so the experience returning on his offensive line is important for his fortunes.

Who are the funniest players on the team? While Jeremiah Smith said defensive tackle James Smith is the funniest player on the team “without a doubt,” Sayin named wide receiver Brandon Inniss and cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. as the team’s funniest players. They are, according to Sayin, the top two trash talkers on the team. Sayin said, “I mean, there’s a lot of funny guys,” Sayin said. “I think Brandon’s funny. I think Jermaine’s funny.”

Conclusion

To be successful against the very difficult schedule they will face. Ohio State needs Julian Sayin to have a great year. The quarterback has had his leadership criticized; however, the interview he gave at Big Ten Media Days shows he is a good leader. It also shows he is a little quirky.