Legendary college football coach Nick Saban has mentored his fair share of elite quarterbacks throughout his tenure with the Alabama Crimson Tide. The school has produced some of the best signal-callers at the collegiate level, including Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, San Francisco 49ers’ Mac Jones, and Carolina Panthers’ Bryce Young.
However, there’s one quarterback Saban is seemingly kicking himself for not keeping in Tuscaloosa.
During Saturday’s episode of ESPN’s “College GameDay,” Saban acknowledged that not giving a longer look to Julian Sayin, a former five-star recruit and now the starter for the undefeated, No. 1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, was a blunder he takes full accountability for.
“I think one point I’d like to make about Julian Sayin is he was at Alabama,” Saban stated. “And the coach at Alabama played him on the scout team for a whole year. What a dumb [expletive].”
Sayin was the No. 3 quarterback and No. 20 overall recruit in the country in the class of 2024, according to 247Sports. He was with the Crimson Tide during Saban’s final season before his retirement. When Kalen DeBoer was hired as Saban’s replacement, Sayin entered the transfer portal and eventually landed in Columbus with Ohio State.
Now in his first season as a starter, Sayin is not only one of the top quarterbacks but also one of the top players in the country. He is completing an impressive 80% of his passes (156 of 195) for 1,872 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just three interceptions.
Sayin currently leads the nation in completion percentage and ranks eighth in touchdown passes. He has emerged as the Heisman Trophy favorite (+185 odds), according to FanDuel Sportsbook, narrowly ahead of Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza (+220) and Alabama QB Ty Simpson (+400).
Saban’s reflection on Sayin’s journey serves as a reminder of how even legendary coaches can overlook future stars—and how players can flourish when given the opportunity to shine elsewhere.
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/ncaa/nick-saban-sends-strong-message-to-ohio-state-qb-julian-sayin-10976554
