Alabama QB commit Julian Sayin prepared for senior season
Julian Sayin, an Alabama quarterback commitment, will begin the final season at Carlsbad High School (Calif.) as he and teammates travel to Inglewood on Friday night. Sayin led his team to a 10-2 record during the 2022 season before falling in the San Diego Section Open Division Championship game.
Carlsbad is the early season favorite to capture the title in Class 1AA with Sayin leading the charge. He had a remarkable summer which included an MVP performance at the Elite 11 Finals. He was also named the No. 1 quarterback in the country per On3 Sports.
Jose Mohler, a former college and European quarterback, has trained the five-star quarterback since the eighth grade. He also trained Sayin’s older brother, Aidan, who is the starting quarterback at Penn.
Coach Mohler is also entering his first year as offensive coordinator at La Costa Canyon High School. It’s also game No. 9 on the schedule for Carlsbad. Sayin is still just the same happy-go-lucky player he has always been despite the extra recognition during the off-season.
“The biggest thing for Julian now is just to continue to focus on development,” Coach Mohler told BOL. “Everyone is telling him how good and talented he is. It’s all very fruitful, but you have to focus on development and executing on fundamentals.
“It’s always been fun training Julian. One of the main things about Julian is just always seeing how much he enjoys being around football. He still looks at it like a little kid.”
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Sayin, the Creator
The pressure is even higher after Sayin passed for 2,708 yards with 27 touchdowns and only four interceptions during his junior season. He also rushed for 154 yards and three touchdowns. He is 21-3 during his time as the starting quarterback at Carlsbad.
So what can opponents expect from the elite prospect this fall?
“He’s really worked on the artistry approach,” Coach Mohler noted. “He works on making throws when his feet aren’t in the best position, off-platform throws. He thrives in those situations. He can solve problems with his body angles. He can make a high velocity throw when his body is not in the best position.
“I think the biggest improvement is just his overall grasp of the game. He understands his protections and what he needs to do to get the most out of his teammates. He has held guys accountable this off-season. I’ve heard from different coaches about his overall leadership in the weight room.
“He inspires people to be better and holds teammates to a standard. He is comfortable with the friction of being a quarterback, and telling people if they are wrong. It’s his detail of concepts. He can troubleshoot on-the-field and get his guys in the right position.”
A few former Alabama signees have won the Elite 11 in previous years including Tua Tagovailoa (2016), Brodie Croyle (2000) and Blake Barnett (2014). Bryce Young was a finalist, but fell just short to CJ Stroud (2019). It’s an event Sayin always strived to compete, and walked away in June as the winner.
“It was really cool,” his trainer said. “It’s something he has talked about since he was a little kid. He’s always held the culture of being a quarterback at a high level. He’s always had a watchful eye that embodies the quarterback culture. The Elite 11 has always been a very high standard.
“The opportunity for Julian to live out his childhood goals became a reality. He carried a playful energy out there and just had an overall great vibe. He wasn’t nervous. He was loose. He tried to do some things that may have seemed out-of-pocket, but that just carries over to the way he plays the game. He is always on the attack, he plays loose, has great mechanics and is artistic.”
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Best days ahead at Alabama
Coach Mohler traveled with Sayin to Alabama’s spring game in April. He can’t wait to see what his star pupil will do once he arrives in Tuscaloosa in January. He said the way Sayin carries himself on the training field has sparked the next generation.
“He continues to carry humility in his heart,” Mohler said. “He runs to the coaches when he has questions. He doesn’t want to act like he’s untouchable. That’s why he chose Alabama. He is hungry to get coached. He wants to get the most out of himself.
“Julian has been instrumental and inspired a lot of kids in the San Diego area. They see him training. He has really ignited everyone’s excitement about being a quarterback. Kids out here see Julian training, the success that he’s had and now believe they can do it, too.”
Carlsbad will have a lot of success on the field this fall. Coach Mohler will cheer for Sayin in each game except one. He knows the team is talented and expects big things for the Lancers this season.
“They’ll do awesome,” he said. “They’ve added some good pieces around him. Everyone in the league is threatened by them. It’s his third year in the same system. This will probably be his best year especially with the wide receiver group they have. They also have a very solid defense, so I assume he will get a lot of short field opportunities.”
Sayin will return to Tuscaloosa for an official visit on September 23-24 (Ole Miss weekend).
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