Saban Roasts Himself: In a moment of pure, self-deprecating brilliance, former Alabama coach and current ESPN analyst Nick Saban delivered a hilarious one-liner on College GameDay, poking fun at his own coaching decision regarding Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin.
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😂 Saban Roasts Himself on GameDay: ‘What a Dumbass’ for the Julian Sayin Decision
The exchange, which instantly went viral and drew huge laughs from the GameDay desk, occurred while the panel was discussing the top-ranked Buckeyes and their star quarterback’s exceptional performance this season.
The All-Timer Quote
With Sayin—a transfer from Alabama—leading Ohio State’s dominant 8-0 run, Saban provided a candid, if slightly embellished, look back at the quarterback’s time in Tuscaloosa.
🗣️ “I think one point I’d like to make about Julian Sayin is, he was at Alabama. And the coach at Alabama played him on the scout team for a whole year. What a dumbass!”
The quip, where Saban referred to himself in the third person as a “dumbass,” was a masterclass in humor and a testament to his willingness to shed his famously intense, often stoic coaching persona for his role as an analyst.
A Star That Got Away
The self-inflicted jab stems from Sayin’s brief, but now memorable, stint with the Crimson Tide. A highly-touted five-star recruit who enrolled early in January 2024, Sayin was an immediate casualty of Saban’s sudden retirement shortly thereafter.
He promptly entered the transfer portal, landing at Ohio State, where he has since emerged as one of the nation’s best quarterbacks, completing over 80% of his passes and earning high praise—even from Saban himself—for his precision and composure.
The joke, of course, simplifies the reality. Sayin was only at Alabama for a few weeks before Saban’s retirement, and as a true freshman, was naturally low on a deep quarterback depth chart led by Jalen Milroe.
However, the humor lies in the admission of the perceived mistake—that a coach, even the greatest of all time, allowed a talent of Sayin’s caliber to be relegated to the scout team before he ultimately left and flourished elsewhere.
The New Nick Saban
Since trading his headset for an analyst chair, Saban has consistently shown a lighter side, engaging in playful banter and showcasing the personality that was often shielded during his coaching tenure.
This latest self-roast on the Julian Sayin situation is perhaps his most pointed and funniest to date, solidifying his successful transition to television and proving that the seven-time national champion is just as entertaining as he is insightful.
Nick Saban SHOUTS OUT Julian Sayin….
You can watch the hilarious moment in this clip. This video features Saban praising Julian Sayin’s performance, which gives context to the coach’s humorous self-critique.
The college football world is already a more engaging place thanks to Saban’s willingness to be both a respected critic and a funny, self-aware observer of the game he once dominated.
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