Ohio State is rolling with true freshman Luke Fahey at quarterback for their upcoming game against USC, a decision that comes right after starting QB Julian Sayin suffered a shoulder injury in their tight 19-15 win over Indiana. Sayin is out for several weeks, leaving head coach Ryan Day with a big call to make, and he’s apparently made it, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. This isn’t just a tough break for the Buckeyes, it’s a massive shift in how they are going to have to attack.
Buckeyes Go Back to Basics with Freshman Under Center
The choice of Fahey over sophomore Tavien St. Clair is a bold one, especially considering Fahey’s extremely limited experience. He came in for Sayin against the Hoosiers and went 0-for-2 on his two pass attempts. That is it. What does that mean for the Buckeyes’ offense? You guessed it: buckle up for a whole lot of running. Ohio State is expected to lean heavily on the ground game, taking immense pressure off their inexperienced young quarterback. This is going to be a true test of their offensive line and their stable of running backs.
Bo Jackson leads the team with 516 rushing yards this season, but even he hit a wall against Indiana, getting held to just 56 yards on 18 carries. Isaiah West, however, showed some serious spark, gaining 45 yards on only six carries. Could West see a lot more touches against USC? It sure looks like that’s the playbook we’re about to witness. They need to establish dominance upfront if Fahey is going to have any chance to breathe out there.
USC’s Struggles Offer a Blueprint
If Ohio State needs a game plan, they just have to look at how USC got absolutely handled in their last outing, a disappointing 24-7 loss to Wisconsin. Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava struggled big-time, throwing two early interceptions that killed any momentum. But even worse, the Trojans finished that game with a mind-boggling -18 rushing yards, with Maiava himself losing -57 yards on just five carries. That’s not a typo, folks.
Wisconsin’s approach against USC was pretty clear: their quarterback, Colton Joseph, only threw for 58 yards. Instead, the Badgers just ran the ball effectively and played stout defense, completely blowing out the Trojans. You don’t need a crystal ball to see that this is almost certainly the exact blueprint the Buckeyes will try to follow with Fahey making his first career start. Run the ball, play tough defense, and keep the freshman QB from having to do too much.
So, here we go. It’s Fahey’s debut, and Ohio State’s offense is going to be all about the ground game and grinding out every yard. This Saturday’s matchup against USC is going to show us exactly what this new Buckeyes’ identity looks like, and whether they can put together a winning performance without their starting signal-caller. Get ready for some smashmouth football.
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.
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