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Ohio State general manager Mark Pantoni has credited Nick Saban’s retirement for a major recruiting win the Buckeyes achieved in 2024. Quarterback Julian Sayin had chosen Saban’s Alabama over Ohio State.
Sayin, a five-star quarterback recruit in the 2024 class, enrolled at Alabama early before Saban’s retirement in Jan. 2024 put him out of place. It was then that the Buckeyes tried again and were able to bring him to Columbus.
Pantoni recounted the story on Thursday during an appearance on Ryan Day’s radio show. He said:
“We recruited Julian extremely hard. He was top of the board for us out of high school. Obviously, we were disappointed when he chose Alabama.”
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But the story didn’t end there. He continued:
“Coach Saban, we owed him a thank-you note for leaving. As soon as that happened, there was communication to let us know there would be interest there. Then, we just had to have internal conversation to make sure it felt good for the room and at the right time. We chose to do so, and he’s obviously stepped right in and been a key part of this team this year.”
The move has proven to be a step in the right direction, both for Sayin and the Buckeyes. The quarterback waited his turn behind Will Howard and Devin Brown in 2024 as Ohio State claimed the national championship.
Sayin was handed the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback role this season, a role he has taken to like a fish to water. He has thrown for 1,872 yards and 19 touchdowns, maintaining an 80% pass success rate, more than any quarterback this season.
Nick Saban’s post-retirement life
While he has left coaching, Nick Saban has not left football, with the seven-time national championship-winning coach switching to broadcasting. At the end of his 17-year stay with the Crimson Tide, the legendary coach joined ESPN, where he’s now an analyst.
He has since been a notable part of the network’s College GameDay broadcast, adding his valued insights in game analysis and projections. Nick Saban said of his ESPN and College GameDay decision:
“ESPN and College GameDay have played such an important role in the growth of college football, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to join their team.”
The next stop for College GameDay is the Vanderbilt campus as the Commodores host the Missouri Tigers on Saturday. It is the show’s first trip to Vanderbilt since 2008.
