Nick Saban's former player is getting a shot.
Alabama Crimson Tide legend Nick Saban finished his tenure in Tuscaloosa with a 206-29 record and six national titles.
However, all good things must come to an end, including an insane head coaching run by Saban. Saban retired following the 27-20 2023 College Football Playoff semifinal overtime loss to the Michigan Wolverines.
The Crimson Tide went out and hired former Washington Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer as Saban's heir.
The retirement had an impact on the program, with plenty of players transferring out. That includes quarterback and former five-star recruit Julian Sayin, who left for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
On Monday, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Ohio State named Sayin the starter for 2025.
Sayin was the No. 2 quarterback in the Rivals Industry Rankings for the 2024 class and the top transfer at his position in the Rivals Transfer Portal Industry Rankings.
Ohio State is fresh off a 34-23 national championship win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Kansas State Wildcats transfer Will Howard left for the NFL, leaving the door open for Sayin to start.
Sayin's first game as a starter will be against Texas Longhorns star Arch Manning in Columbus on August 30.
For Alabama, the Crimson Tide had a disappointing 9-4 season under DeBoer in 2024. However, ESPN predicted a return to the CFP for Alabama in DeBoer's second season, foreseeing a loss to the Penn State Nittany Lions in the quarterfinals.
Much like Ohio State, Alabama also had a quarterback competition in the offseason, with Ty Simpson coming out as the winner. Simpson was interviewed about his new starting role and thanked his teammates for helping him achieve it.
It is hard not to see the impact Saban had on college football, especially now that he is retired.
Related: Greg McElroy Doesn't Expect College Football Playoff Team to Drop Off in 2025
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 18, 2025, where it first appeared in the College section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Category: General Sports
