He had multiple injuries. One reason Bob re punted against OSU, disastrously, was that the only corner with any experience that he had available at the end of the game opposite Sanchez was Julian and he had some leg injury that made him almost unable to move or cut. On a previous possession, the OSU receiver ran by him easily and he got away with a DPI to keep the pass from being a long touchdown.
Julian has some skills, but he was not close to full speed at the end of the season. Apparently, he healed some. That's a very good time.