Why did Julian Sayin leave Alabama? Exploring probable reason behind 5-star QB's exit

Julian Sayin left Alabama for Ohio State earlier this year. The former five-star recruit had initially committed to play college football at Alabama during his junior high school season in 2022 but flipped the Tide for the Buckeyes earlier this year.

Sayin, the No. 1 quarterback in the Class of 2024 as per 247Sports Composite, had enrolled in classes in January this year. However, just a week later, he entered the transfer portal.

Notably, Sayin left Alabama only a few days after legendary coach Nick Saban announced his retirement in January. Hence, there is speculation that the player's decision to leave the Tide stemmed from Saban stepping down from his post at Alabama.

Earlier this week, Sayin also spoke about his bond with Saban, even though he didn't play with the coach.

“We had a great relationship through the recruiting process,” Sayin said, “and I loved Coach Saban. I really wanted to go play for him.”

When Saban announced his decision to leave Alabama, Sayin said he was 'surprised,' but the quarterback now feels he made the right decision to join Ohio State.

“I would say we were caught by surprise. There was definitely a lot of emotions, but I had my family to lean on. They helped me through it, and I was able to make the right decision,” Sayin said.

"Really, I just wanted to be at a school with a great tradition, great quarterback history, and somewhere I could develop."

Is Julian Sayin the starting quarterback for Ohio State in 2024?

Ohio State QB Julian Sayin (Source: Imagn)

As things stand, Ohio State coach Ryan Day has yet to confirm his starting quarterback for the 2024 season. However, it's unlikely that Julian Sayin will get the nod as the Buckeyes' QB 1 since he is entering his freshman year at the collegiate level.

Instead, coach Day might pick between either Will Howard and Devin Brown as his starting signal-caller in 2024. Sayin is likely to serve in the backup department.