“He signed to play for Nick Saban”: Julian Sayin's high school coach explains the decision to transfer to Ohio State

Julian Sayin is leaving Alabama to team up with Ohio State a month after signing a letter of intent for the Crimson Tide. The quarterback, who has enrolled early in Tuscaloosa, informed ESPN of his decision on Sunday.

While Sayin’s exit coincides with the arrival of quarterback Austin Mack from Washington to Alabama, the quarterback’s high school coach has come out to explain his decision. Carlsbad High School coach Thadd MacNeal said that Sayin’s transfer was ignited by the sudden departure of Nick Saban.

“He signed to play for Nick Saban,” MacNeal said. “He had a great relationship with coach Saban and (offensive coordinator) Tommy Rees. Those were his guys and the ones he had a relationship with.

“When the new staff came in — it was nothing against them, but he didn’t know them at all. He knew (associate head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ryan) Grubb a little, and he did offer him at Washington but there was no relationship with him or (head coach Kalen) DeBoer and Julian just felt like it was best for him to move on.”

Julian Sayin becomes the 10th player the Crimson Tide is losing via the transfer portal following Saban's exit. He is also the second exit in the class of 2024. The growing list of departures includes Caleb Downs, Isaiah Bond, Kadyn Proctor and Amari Niblack.

Ohio State was Julian Sayin’s second option

Ranked No. 12 overall and the No. 2 quarterback in Sportskeeda’s class of 2024 composite ranking, Julian Sayin was highly recruited coming out of high school. He had offers from the likes of Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame, etc., before committing to Alabama.

However, Thadd MacNeal said that the Buckeyes were high on the quarterback's list, and this made the transfer an easy decision. His admiration for the coaching staff played a role in the move to Columbus, according to MacNeal.

“They were actually No. 2 for him,” MacNeal said. “They were actually a close second, and he visited at least two times that I know of. He loved (head coach) Ryan Day and the offense and how quarterback-friendly he is.

“Ohio State has done a great job developing quarterbacks there and Julian really likes (offensive coordinator Brian) Hartline, too. He was involved in recruiting Julian, and they always have a great WR room at Ohio State and that’s obviously a huge deal if you’re a quarterback.”

Julian Sayin will be part of a robust quarterback room at Ohio State, joining former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard, who is considered the frontrunner for the starting position. Other options include Devin Brown, Lincoln Kienholz and Air Noland.