2024 Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin is transferring from Alabama following the retirement of Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban.The Buckeyes have lost to rival Michigan in three straight seasons, and the Wolverines completed an undefeated season in 2023 with a national title. Now Ohio State is looking to regain its lead in the Big Ten through the transfer market.Sayin enrolled early at Alabama but is now on his way to Columbus to join head coach Ryan Day and Ohio State. The Buckeyes also return several draft-eligible juniors, including Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, J.T. Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer and Donovan Jackson among others.
And they have landed top transfers in Kansas State quarterback Will Howard, Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins, Alabama offensive lineman Seth McLaughlin and Alabama safety Caleb Downs.BENDER: What Ohio State additions of Oand#039;Brien, Ross Bjork and Downs means for Ryan DaySayin, who will be a true freshman in 2024, is joining a loaded quarterback room.
Hereand#039;s why he landed on Ohio State.Why Julian Sayin is transferring to Ohio StateSayin is hardly the first player to leave Alabama in the aftermath of Sabanand#039;s retirement. Downs, McLaughlin, Kadyn Proctor and Isaiah Bond, among others, decided to leave the program before former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer takes over.In recruiting Sayinand#039, Saban spoke glowingly of the top quarterback in the class of 2024, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
But Ohio State is also pursuing Sayin and has reportedly brought in the Carlsbad, Calif., product. With Saban out of the picture, Sayin wants a chance to work with coach Ryan Day, who developed three quarterbacks (Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields and C.J. Stroud) into first-round NFL draft picks.andquot;Incredibly excited to join the team here at Ohio State, andquot; Sayin told ESPN. andquot;I gave this program a lot of consideration during my recruiting process and look forward to learning from some of the most talented players and coaches in college football and contributing to the success of our team.andquot;Outside of the day, there was another connection that helped Sayin decide in favor of Ohio State.
The Buckeyes hired Bill Oand#039;Brien as tight ends and offensive coordinator on Friday. Oand#039;Brien was Alabama’s offensive coordinator when Sayin was hired by the Crimson Tide in 2022 before leaving to coach the Patriotsand#039;MORE: Why Ohio State is hiring Bill Oand#039;Brien as OCWhile the Buckeyes haven’t been able to get past Michigan in the last three seasons, there is reason for optimism. Ohio State made three College Football Playoff appearances and once reached the national championship game under Day’s tenure as head coach. The Buckeyes were never ranked outside the AP Top 10 under Day’s coaching staff and at least seventh in the CFP rankings.And the future remains bright in Columbus. Ohio State had the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation in 2024, highlighted by No. 1 overall 247Sports Composite Rankings recruit wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
It has also landed the top running back in the transfer portal in Judkins and the top overall player in Downs, the latter of which still has two years left in college before he is draft eligible. With Sayin now going to Columbus, the future only looks brighter.Ohio State quarterback depth chartWill HowardDevin BrownLincoln KienholzJulian Sayin/Air NolandLast year, Kyle McCord topped Ohio Stateand#039;s quarterback depth chart. But he left after a disappointing season and transferred to Syracuse. Redshirt freshman Devin Brown was given a chance to establish himself as a starter in 2024, but was injured in the first quarter of the Cotton Bowl and looked weak when healthy. True freshman Lincoln Kienholz replaced Brown in the game and looked inconsistent.If Howard transfers to Ohio State, he is expected to be a starter in 2024.
He is a redshirt senior and had impressive seasons at Kansas State before leaving the Wildcats. He has only the 2024 season remaining of collegiate eligibility.Sayin is going to Columbus all but assured to be one of the backups, with his eyes set on being the starter in 2025. Winning the job wonand#039;t be easy, though. Heand#039;ll be competing with fellow 2024 recruit Air Noland, who is ranked No. 36 nationally by 247Sports Composite Rankings and No. 4 among quarterbacks. Noland has been locked in to Columbus for a while despite some decommitment rumors that began to circulate in the summer of 2023.There is a lot of hype surrounding Sayin, and his decision to commit to Ohio State likely means he believes he can win the starting job in 2025..
