Julian Sayin is getting ready to rock and roll with the Buckeyes in the 2024 college football season. The five-star recruit, who transferred to Ohio State from Alabama, after Nick Saban's exit is sweating it out in the offseason to give head coach Ryan Day a headache while choosing his QB1.
Amid the preparation, the freshman quarterback is finding less time to spend with his girlfriend - Gabrielle Fowler. She posted an adorable black & white mirror selfie of them hugging each other, and captioned the story:
"Missing you"
Joining a competitive quarterback room at Ohio State, Sayin will vie for playing time alongside other talented quarterbacks, including Will Howard, Devin Brown, Lincoln Kienholz, and Air Noland.
Nick Saban forced Julian Sayin's transfer to Ohio State
January 2024 ended with twists and turns for then Alabama's five-star recruit. He decided to make a surprising move to Ohio State, just a month after committing to the Crimson Tide.
The stepping down of Nick Saban as Bama’s coach was the main reason behind Julian’s move. A strong bond with Saban and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees for the 18-year-old QB steered him to join the Tide in the first place.
Sayin's high school coach Thadd MacNeal believes that the transition became inevitable with Saban's exit, as Sayin had no prior relationship with the new coaching staff.
“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,” said MacNeal.
Julian Sayin's transfer marks the 10th departure from Alabama's transfer portal since Saban's exit, stressing the impact of coaching changes on player decisions. Ohio State emerged as a top contender for Sayin, with coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline playing pivotal roles in attracting him.
Also read: Who is Julian Sayin? What we know about the No. 1 QB in the Class of 2024
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