Julian Sayin Joins Ohio State After Saban Retires

Columbus, OH – Five-star quarterback prospect Julian Sayin officially traded crimson for scarlet and gray in January, making the high-profile transfer from the University of Alabama to Ohio State University. The move, finalized on January 21, 2024, followed a tumultuous period for the Crimson Tide program ignited by the unexpected retirement of legendary coach Nick Saban.

Sayin, a highly-touted pro-style quarterback from Carlsbad, California, had enrolled early at Alabama just days before Saban’s bombshell announcement on January 10. Widely regarded as the top quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class by services like the On3 Industry Ranking and 247Sports Composite, his arrival in Tuscaloosa was meant to be a cornerstone of Alabama’s future.

However, the landscape of college football shifted dramatically with Saban’s departure. The Hall of Fame coach’s retirement sent shockwaves through the program, triggering a flurry of transfer portal entries from several key players and recruits. Sayin officially entered the NCAA transfer portal on January 12, just two days after Saban’s retirement and the same day Alabama announced the hiring of Kalen DeBoer from Washington as Saban’s successor.

The decision to leave Alabama quickly positioned Sayin as one of the most coveted prospects in the portal. Ohio State, which had recently seen its starting quarterback Kyle McCord transfer to Syracuse, moved swiftly to secure Sayin’s commitment amidst a broader effort to revitalize its quarterback room. His commitment to the Buckeyes was confirmed on January 21, bringing a significant talent infusion to Columbus.

The direct link between Saban’s exit and Sayin’s transfer was later underscored by Saban himself. During an appearance on ESPN’s *College GameDay* on January 29, Saban offered a candid assessment of the situation. “The quarterback, Julian Sayin, was gone as soon as I left,” Saban stated plainly, confirming that his own retirement was the immediate catalyst for the talented prospect’s decision to seek a new home.

Sayin joins an Ohio State quarterback competition that includes returning sophomores Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz, as well as Kansas State transfer Will Howard, who committed to the Buckeyes in early January. His presence immediately elevates the talent ceiling in the room, offering head coach Ryan Day another elite arm for the program’s future.

For Alabama, Sayin’s departure represented one of the more significant losses in the transfer portal following Saban’s retirement, highlighting the challenges new coach DeBoer faced in maintaining roster stability. Despite losing Sayin, DeBoer has since worked to re-recruit key players and bring in new talent to rebuild the Crimson Tide.

Sayin, who threw for 2,369 yards and 24 touchdowns in his senior year at Carlsbad High School, arrived in Columbus with high expectations. His transfer serves as a stark reminder of the volatile nature of modern college football recruiting and the transfer portal, where coaching changes can instantly reshuffle the landscape of even the most storied programs.