The Scarlet and Gray

[djp73]

viewtopic.php?f=42&t=1650

[toysoldier00]

Nice breakdown of the positions. A two linebacker set is what I have been playing around with recently as well due to the lack of LB depth.

How are you deciding who wins the battles? Just basing it off ratings and who fits your style better, not necessarily the overall, or are you doing practices and seeing who "feels" better playing with?

I'm mimicking real life in this first season, which in some cases became easier with the updates. The difference between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz when the game came out was pretty negligible, whereas now they have a significant ratings gap. Of course that also means I'm going to be starting a 75 OVR LT instead of an 86 OVR LT, but I prefer the realism. As for future battles, It'll come down to player abilities and dev trait more than overall ratings in my opinion.

viewtopic.php?f=42&t=1650

QB is so unique because you have so much hands on playtime with that one player, that it's really just about personal preference.

[toysoldier00]

Jeremiah Smith, Caleb Downs Lead Ohio State’s Preseason All-America Selections

Tom Jacobs
August 18, 2025


Columbus, Ohio -- The Associated Press released its preseason All-America and All-Big Ten teams on Monday, and Ohio State placed three players on the national lists while five earned preseason conference honors. Sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and junior safety Caleb Downs were named First-Team Preseason All-Americans, while junior tight end Max Klare earned a spot on the Second-Team Preseason All-America list.

All three Buckeyes were also selected to the First-Team Preseason All-Big Ten, while senior cornerback Davison Igbinosun and senior linebacker Sonny Styles were voted to the Second-Team Preseason All-Big Ten.

Smith enters 2025 as one of the most high-profile players in college football after recording one of the best freshman seasons in Ohio State history. Last season, he caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns, adding 47 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. His combination of size, speed, and body control made him a matchup nightmare from his very first game, and he is widely considered a Biletnikoff Award frontrunner heading into the fall.

Downs, now in his second season with the Buckeyes after transferring from Alabama, headlines Ohio State’s defense. The junior safety led the team with 81 tackles, including 48 solo stops, and added six pass breakups, two interceptions, and half a sack in 2024. His versatility and range helped stabilize a veteran secondary last season, and he returns as one of the nation’s top defensive players and a likely early NFL Draft selection.

Klare (Pictured Right), the lone transfer among the group, arrived from Purdue and enters his first season in Columbus already carrying significant expectations. He posted 51 receptions for 685 yards and four touchdowns for the Boilermakers last season and will take on a major role in Ohio State’s passing attack. With a new starting quarterback set to be named in the coming days, Klare is expected to be a key security blanket and red-zone target.

On the defensive side, Igbinosun earned preseason second-team All-Big Ten recognition after recording 45 tackles, two interceptions, nine pass breakups, and one forced fumble in 2024. The senior corner returns as one of the most experienced players on the roster and is expected to anchor a retooled secondary that features several young contributors.

Styles, also a preseason second-team All-Big Ten honoree, was one of Ohio State’s most productive and versatile defenders last season. He finished 2024 with 100 total tackles, including 49 solo tackles, along with six sacks, five pass deflections, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. He will step into a full-time linebacker role this season as the Buckeyes shift toward a two-linebacker base defense.

Overall, Ohio State’s five preseason honorees reflect both the top-end talent returning from last year’s national championship team and the expectations that come with entering the 2025 season ranked in the top three nationally. With Texas set to visit Columbus in less than two weeks, the Buckeyes will lean heavily on their preseason All-Americans as they begin their title defense.




[Soapy]

not starting Sayin would shake it up but i don't think Day got it in him

[Captain Canada]

These articles going crazy off rip

[redsox907]

shake the whole thing up and go St. Clair off the rip

[The JZA]

shake the whole thing up and go St. Clair off the rip

2nd this

[toysoldier00]

These articles going crazy off rip

not starting Sayin would shake it up but i don't think Day got it in him

shake the whole thing up and go St. Clair off the rip

shake the whole thing up and go St. Clair off the rip

2nd this

You guys are menaces

[toysoldier00]

Julian Sayin Named Ohio State’s Starting Quarterback for 2025 Season

Tom Jacobs
August 19, 2025


Columbus, Ohio -- Ohio State head coach Ryan Day officially named sophomore Julian Sayin the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback on Tuesday, ending a months-long competition that stretched from spring practice through the midpoint of fall camp. Sayin beat out third-year quarterback Lincoln Kienholz for the job and will lead the No. 3 Buckeyes into their season-opening showdown against top-ranked Texas on Aug. 30.

“This was an extremely competitive battle, and both guys pushed each other,” Day said after practice. “But at the end of the day, Julian earned it. He’s been consistent, he’s been accurate, and he’s shown great command of the offense. We believe he gives us the best chance to win right now.”

Sayin arrived at Ohio State with significant expectations. A former five-star prospect from Carlsbad High School in California, he ranked as the No. 6 overall player and the No. 1 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class according to the 247Sports Composite. He originally signed with Alabama to play for Nick Saban, but entered the transfer portal after Saban’s unexpected retirement and committed to Ohio State less than a week later.

As a true freshman in 2024, Sayin saw limited action behind starter Will Howard and backups Devin Brown and Kienholz. He appeared in a handful of games, completing 5 of 12 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown, but the Buckeyes viewed him as part of their long-term plan from the moment he stepped on campus. Day noted that the experience Sayin gained last season helped accelerate his development.

“He handled everything we threw at him,” Day said. “You could see his confidence grow with every rep. His timing, his decision-making, his leadership, it all kept improving. This wasn’t about one moment. This was about a body of work.”

Sayin’s strengths have been evident since high school: a compact, quick release; high-level accuracy; and a rare processing speed for a young quarterback. During fall camp, he separated himself with his ability to diagnose coverages pre-snap and his consistency in delivering the ball on time to the Buckeyes’ talented receivers. Day emphasized that Sayin’s style fits naturally into the system Ohio State wants to run.

“He’s very decisive,” Day said. “He gets the ball out, he distributes it, and he understands how to use all the weapons we have. The guys believe in him.”

The decision also clarifies the immediate role for Kienholz, who has had a strong offseason and will serve as Ohio State’s No. 2 quarterback. The South Dakota native brought more athleticism to the competition and impressed the staff with his growth since last season, but Day said Sayin’s consistency ultimately tipped the battle.

“We’re really proud of the camp Lincoln had,” Day said. “He’s going to play an important role for us this year. But when we looked at the full picture, Julian was just a little bit ahead.”

Sayin steps into one of the most high-pressure roles in college football just 11 days before the Buckeyes host Texas in one of the biggest Week 1 matchups in recent memory. Ohio State’s offense is loaded with weapons, including preseason first-team All-Americans Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs (on defense), as well as tight end Max Klare, wide receiver Carnell Tate, and running backs CJ Donaldson and James Peoples.

For Day, the goal was to name a starter with enough time to prepare him fully for Texas’ aggressive, veteran defense. “We wanted to make sure we gave the team clarity,” Day said. “Now Julian can take those first-team reps without hesitation and get ready for a huge challenge in Week 1.”

With the announcement made and the competition settled, Sayin becomes the next in a long line of Ohio State quarterbacks expected to contend for championships. The Buckeyes now shift fully into game-week preparation, with their leader under center officially identified.

“He’s ready,” Day said. “Now it’s time to go play.”




[Captain Canada]

Let's fucking go.