Sayin arrived at Alabama in early January as a mid-year enrollee. On Jan. 10, Saban retired. Two days later, the Crimson Tide hired
Kalen DeBoer from Washington. By the end of the month, Sayin transferred to Ohio State.
According to Armen Keteyian and John Talty’s book
‘The Price: What It takes to Win in College Football’s Era of Chaos’, DeBoer made Sayin wait for an extended period of time during their first meeting and asked Sayin to spell his name, acting like he wasn’t familiar with him at all.
Some took that as DeBoer’s way of shuffling Sayin out as he was bringing his quarterback –
Austin Mack – with him from Washington. Sayin left Tuscaloosa only weeks later to now become the starting quarterback at Ohio State.