Nick Saban confesses to massive mistake he made with Julian Sayin at Alabama

Before Ohio State Buckeyes starting quarterback Julian Sayin was slinging it at the Horseshoe, he has high hopes to being the next great signal caller for Nick Saban at Alabama.

Sayin was an early enrollee during the 2023 campaign, but Saban ended up retiring after the season. That prompted Sayin to make the decision to enter the transfer portal even before making an appearance in a Crimson Tide uniform and choose the Buckeyes.

Saban recalled his short experience with Sayin playing quarterback for Alabama. He shared a funny moment that made him realize that he had made a mistake with how Sayin started his time in college.

“I think one point I’d like to make about Julian Sayin is he was at Alabama,” Saban said via On3. “And the coach at Alabama played him on the scout team for a whole year. What a dumbass.”

Sayin has certainly made the most of his first season as the starting quarterback for the Buckeyes, as he has the team off to an 8-0 start after beating Penn State 38-14. He has completed 80.7% of his passes for 2,188 yards and 23 touchdowns to just three interceptions in those eight games.

Throughout the season, it has been clear that he is not the prototypical first-year starting quarterback, given what he has been able to do to elevate the offense. He's been near perfect in the pocket with his decision-making, as he hasn't thrown an interception since their Week 3 win over the Ohio Bobcats, when he threw two interceptions in the 37-9 win.

This season, Sayin has had five games where he has thrown for over 300 yards, as well as three games where he has scored four touchdowns. He's been red hot over the last two weeks, scoring eight touchdowns with zero turnovers in their wins over Wisconsin and Penn State.

While there are still four games left, there are many, including his own head coach Ryan Day, who believe that Sayin should be a Heisman Trophy candidate. There's no doubt he will be in the conversation not only this year, but next season as well.

Not many within Ohio State or around the country would have expected Sayin to be as good as he has been in 2025, but his poise in the pocket and his natural arm talent have made him one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the nation to watch.