Ryan Day drops promising Julian Sayin injury news for Ohio State

Ohio State football coach Ryan Day provides promising Julian Sayin injury update.

Julian Sayin has been out since Oct. 17.

That was the night Ohio State beat Indiana 19-15 in Bloomington.

Sayin took a sack in the fourth quarter and injured his throwing arm.

He fumbled on the play.

After the game, Day said Sayin would be out for several weeks.

The next week, the language changed.

Day said Sayin was out indefinitely.

The team planned for him not to return this season or the postseason.

Sayin went back to California after the injury.

He was on Ohio State’s sideline during the loss at USC on Oct. 31.

He wore a sling.

He sat next to freshman quarterback Luke Fahey.

Fahey is now the Buckeyes’ starter.

Sayin returned to Columbus after the USC game.

On Thursday, Day gave his first detailed update since the injury.

He spoke on his weekly radio show on 97.1 The Fan.

“All things considered — the outcome with different options that we were kind of going into the situation thinking it could be — I think this has been a decent outcome for us and for him,” Day said.

“We’ll let him kind of go through that. But this thing looks to be healing.”

That is a significant change in tone.

In October, the language was cautious and open-ended.

Now Day is saying the injury is healing.

But he also made clear it will not be a quick return.

“It’s not going to be next week or next month,” Day said.

“It’s going to take some time, but I think certainly for the long term, we feel like we’re on a good track here.”

The update is about the long term.

Sayin is a junior.

He was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2025.

He finished fourth in the voting last season.

In 2025, he threw for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 14 games.

This season, before the injury, he completed 131 of 192 passes.

That is a 68.2 percent completion rate.

He threw for 2,007 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions in seven games.

He also rushed for two touchdowns.

Ohio State is 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten.

The Buckeyes had a bye week after the Indiana game.

Then they lost at USC 30-18.

Luke Fahey started that game.

Fahey was 21-of-38 passing for 260 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions.

Ohio State was ranked No. 2 in the AP poll before the loss.

They dropped to No. 12 in the initial College Football Playoff ranking announced Tuesday.

The Buckeyes host No. 23 Oregon on Saturday.

Oregon is 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten.

Sayin will not play in that game.

But Day said Sayin is still involved with the team.

“It’s been good to have him in the meetings, having Julian around the team,” Day said.

“You talk through a play and say, ‘Jules, anything you can add,’ and sometimes he’ll say something. He’s got a good feel for that. He communicates well.”

Day emphasized that Sayin is not just doing his rehab alone.

“I think it’s important for him to be around the guys,” Day said.

“I think it says a lot about him that he’s not just off doing his rehab or whatever. He’s with the team, and he takes his role very seriously.”

Sayin’s injury is to his right arm or shoulder.

The exact nature has not been disclosed in detail.

Day initially said it was a throwing-arm injury.

Multiple sources describe it as an elbow injury.

The play happened in the fourth quarter at Indiana.

Sayin was looking to throw to his left.

He was hit from his right side.

The hit caused a fumble and injured his elbow.

Ohio State won the game 19-15.

But the cost was high.

Sayin is considered one of the top quarterbacks in college football.

He transferred to Ohio State from Alabama before the 2025 season.

He won the starting job last year and became a Heisman finalist.

His future after this season is uncertain.

He could enter the NFL draft.

He could return to Ohio State for his senior season.

The injury update from Day suggests recovery is on track for the long term.

That could mean Sayin is planning to play again in 2027.

It could also mean he will be healthy enough for NFL pre-draft workouts.

Day did not address that directly.

He focused on the medical outlook.

“All things considered … this has been a decent outcome for us and for him,” Day said.