Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin is officially out indefinitely after injuring his throwing arm during the fourth quarter against Indiana. Head coach Ryan Day dropped the news, and it sounds like he’s planning for the worst, even leaving open the possibility Sayin could be sidelined for the entire season. Man, that’s just brutal for the No. 3 Buckeyes, who rallied for a 19-15 win over No. 6 Indiana, but now face a massive QB question.
Who Steps Up? The QB Carousel Starts Now
Ryan Day and Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith are staring down a huge decision, and honestly, who wouldn’t be? With Sayin sidelined, it’s either freshman Luke Fahey or sophomore Tavien St. Clair under center. Day said Fahey’s had the edge lately, playing 10 snaps against the Hoosiers though he went 0 for 2. For the season, Fahey’s 9 of 13 for 203 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions across three games. St. Clair, on the other hand, has seen action in two games, going 5 of 7 for 52 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Day’s crystal clear about the mission: “We’re going to play the guy that gives us the best chance to win.” He added, “We’re going to need them to win a championship.” That’s a ton of pressure on these young guys, but hey, the coach sees it as a “challenge to them and the team to pick up the slack.”
History Lessons and a Gauntlet Ahead
If you’re wondering if a team can navigate this kind of QB chaos and still win it all, Day’s got a reference point: the 2014 national championship squad. Braxton Miller got hurt in preseason, J.T. Barrett stepped in, then broke his ankle against Michigan, and Cardale Jones took over to lead them to three straight wins and a title. The stakes this time around feel way higher though. This isn’t just a random start like Kyle McCord filling in for C.J. Stroud back in 2021. The Buckeyes, currently 6-1 and 4-0 in the Big Ten, are heading into a brutal stretch. They’ve got a pivotal primetime test at No. 16 Southern California on October 31. Then it’s Oregon, No. 24 Northwestern, Nebraska, and a regular-season finale against Michigan on November 28. Plus, a potential Big Ten title game in Indianapolis on December 5. Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith said they’ll adapt the scheme, and thankfully, they’ve got Heisman Trophy favorite Jeremiah Smith leading the receivers and an experienced offensive line. But the run game’s been inconsistent, so that’s another thing to watch.
The Buckeyes are on their bye week right now, and Day emphasized they need to “get it organized quickly.” This isn’t just some bump in the road. This is a real test for Ohio State’s championship dreams. Can Fahey or St. Clair step up and deliver at a “high level” when it truly counts? We’ll start finding out on October 31 against USC. Get ready.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply