Another episode of Defend the Shoe has arrived, and Julian Sayin's parents, brother and sister were the stars of the third installment.
Before Sayin set the Ohio State record for consecutive completions to start a game and finished 18-of-19 passing for 306 yards and four touchdowns in Ohio State's win over Grambling State, his family shared their excitement for Sayin to show off his talents as the Buckeyes' QB1 this season.
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— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) September 12, 2025
Episode 3: Football in Ohio#GoBucks | @anduriltech pic.twitter.com/sa3H55UdoJ
"I can't tell you countless rides to the football field and every time (he had a) smile going in, smile coming out. You know, he lost games, he had performances that weren't perfect, but never got him down. Always positive, always coming forward and just loving the game. Couldn't get enough of it," Sayin's father, Dan, said.
"The biggest thing for Julian when he plays the best is if he just enjoys it," his mother, Karen Brandenburg, added. "He loves the game. He always has."
It's not just Sayin's parents who admire him, but his brother and sister, too.
"He's always just been really confident, and he always knew that this is what he wanted to do," Sayin's sister, Jocelyn, said. "I am really excited for him. I feel like this is his little kid dream to be doing this, and he gets to it, which not a lot of people can say that."
"I'm super proud of Julian," his brother, Aidan, said. "Just the way he's been able to put his head down and work this offseason, get the starting position. It just means a lot that everybody has been able to come out here and make the long trip from California out to come support someone that we all love so dearly."
The third episode also previewed Ohio State's matchup with Ohio this weekend. Ohioans Brian Hartline and Austin Siereveld talked about what football means in the Buckeye State. Meanwhile, Caden Curry, Caleb Downs and James Laurinaitis discussed the standard Ohio State must continue to uphold coming off a national championship in 2024.
