Urban Meyer didn’t have to think long when asked what Ohio State should do at quarterback.
The former Buckeyes coach has been through this exact kind of crisis before, and he saw enough on Tuesday to offer a clear opinion on the situation behind Julian Sayin. On the Triple Option Podcast, Meyer said he was surprised that “the five-star” wasn’t the first option to come off the bench when Sayin went down.
Meyer’s perspective carries weight because Ohio State has already lived this movie once. His 2014 national title team hit a brutal roadblock in the final game of the regular season against Michigan when JT Barrett broke his ankle and was finished for the year. Cardale Jones stepped in and sparked the rest of the run, helping the Buckeyes beat Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship, then Alabama and Oregon on the way to the title.
This time, Ryan Day is the one sorting through the next move, and he does not have Meyer’s old staff experience to lean on from that season. The Buckeyes escaped with a crucial win, but the quarterback question that followed is now the bigger issue. Who gives Ohio State the best chance to keep moving forward long-term?
For now, Day and his staff are taking the competition into the bye week, with the two quarterbacks getting a real chance to settle it in practice. That changes the feel of the week completely. What usually serves as a breather, a chance to reset and drill the basics, has turned into camp all over again.
Meyer said plainly what he would do if the decision were his: he would go with Tavien St. Clair.
Day is letting St. Clair and Fahey battle for the job this week, and the winner will be the one trusted to steer the Buckeyes back toward the College Football Playoff.
In Other News...
Reds Face One Big Offseason Decision On A Familiar Arm
Nick Martinez is back in the conversation for Cincinnati, and it makes sense why. The former Reds right-hander spent this season with the Rays, stayed durable enough to make 31 starts, and kept his earned run average at 3.10 while showing the kind of steadiness that tends to stand out when a club is staring at rotation uncertainty. For a Reds team that has spent a lot of time trying to stabilize the pitching staff, a familiar arm who already knows the organization is going to look awfully relevant once the offseason market opens.
The bigger issue is timing, because the Reds are headed toward a 2027 rotation picture that already looks thin, and the front office will have to balance that need against its budget realities. With the club also facing other departures and Hunter Greene unavailable after Tommy John surgery, adding dependable innings is not a luxury item. Martinez fits the profile of a pitcher Cincinnati could circle back to, but whether the Reds can make that fit work financially is the question hanging over the winter. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Suddenly Have A Real Dane Myers Question In 2027
Dane Myers gave the Reds something useful in his first season in Cincinnati, appearing in a career-high 117 games and batting .257 with eight home runs while giving the lineup a right-handed option who could hurt lefties and come off the bench in key spots. Acquired from the Marlins in December 2025, he settled into a role that made the trade look sensible almost immediately, especially with the way he handled pinch-hitting duties and gave the club another layer in center field.
Now the Reds have a health issue to monitor heading into 2027 after Myers had to deal with a bruised left shoulder and follow-up surgery on the AC joint. The expectation is that hell be back around Spring Training, but for a player whose value is tied as much to matchup flexibility as everyday availability, even a short interruption can create a real question for how the Reds want to shape their outfield mix. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Pitching Search Just Got Tougher After A Brutal 2026 Regression
The Reds search for help on the mound just got a little more complicated. Cleveland Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis is expected to remain with the Guardians, despite earlier speculation that he could be a fit in Cincinnati, and Guardians manager Stephen Vogt also is reported to be staying put. For a Reds team trying to regroup after a rough 2026 regression, that removes one of the more obvious veteran names from the board at a moment when the club is trying to stabilize its pitching infrastructure.
Cincinnati is still sorting through a broader overhaul after Derek Johnsons departure, with two pitching-related openings to fill for 2027. Bullpen coach Oscar Marin and assistant pitching coach Matt Tracy are among the internal options, while outside candidates such as Matt Blake and Connor McGuiness could also enter the mix. The challenge now is finding the right combination of voices to guide a staff that needs both direction and continuity, and the list of possible fits only seems to be growing more complicated. [Read more 🡒]