Interview: 2021 Carlsbad QB Aidan Sayin is a Smooth Operator in the Pocket
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
For the football junkies out there, there is joy in watching quarterbacks like Aidan Sayin slinging the ball around the yard. From watching him read and pick apart defenses to seeing his smooth stroke on a heated long ball dropped in with a feather’s touch, Sayin gets it done operating from under center and out of the shotgun. The Carlsbad standout completed 60 percent of his passes during the 2019 season covering 2,349 yards with 24 touchdowns adding 74 yards on the ground with another score. After earning first team All-League honors going against California Division-I squads, the 6-2, 205-pound, gunslinger is garnering deserved recruiting attention. Thanks to the skills and the 4.2 cumulative GPA, offers have been extended from Cornell and Pennsylvania with other Ivy League programs watching.
In a first visit to the RNG Lab, Sayin gives me insight on his skills and knowledge of the game with a quick update on his recruiting process.
Interview
Aidan, you have what looks like an effortless stroke and you can sling it. How have you built up your arm strength over time and connected that with your mechanics to drop dimes with heat like that?
“Over the years it has been consistent, arm strength comes with age. I don’t work on arm strength on its own, but with mechanics it all comes together.”
One of the cool things for you with garnering experience is working out of the shotgun and under center. What style of offense were you guys executing in 2019?
“We ran a pro-style last season, a lot of formations to confuse the defense. It helped. Defenses were not always prepared for what we were doing.”
Another thing I like about your game are your drop steps when under center; you get back in a hurry and cover a lot of ground in the process. Beyond your arm and drops, what are some of the other strengths to your game as a quarterback?
“My ability to make decisions, being comfortable under center and the play fakes that come with that along with taking five- and seven-step drops; that is a big part of our game.”
What were the fronts and coverages you were seeing from defenses last season?
“We saw a mix of everything, Cover 3, quarters, and some Cover 2. We played against a lot of coverages, and against good defenses in the Avocado league.”
What were some of the routes you were connecting on in 2019?
“Our money routes were bang-posts, skinny posts, and comebacks.”
Since the season ended what have you been working on with your game as a passing quarterback?
“This offseason I have been working on keeping my front shoulder closed and watching film this spring to be a student of the game.”
If the college camp season happens, are there any camps you may attend?
“I’m not sure. Most likely I will take an east coast trip to some Ivy League camps, if the camps open up.”
Which schools are showing interest but have not offered yet?
“Some schools that are showing interest are Harvard, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, and some other Ivy League teams.”
Which programs have offered?
“Cornell and Penn.”
Going back a few months, did you get to take any visits?
“I did visit some Ivy League schools over spring break last year; I toured the schools.”
Are there any planned trips you may take to visit some campuses upcoming?
“I am hoping to visit a lot of the Ivy League schools to see the campuses and facilities, and some west coast schools.”
Photo credit: Mike McGinnis; Aidan Sayin