Ohio State’s quarterback situation took a sharp turn after Julian Sayin went down with an elbow injury in last Saturday’s 19-15 win against Indiana in Bloomington, and Ryan Day still isn’t ready to name the next man up.
Day said Tuesday that he has not decided which quarterback on the depth chart will replace Sayin, who had been off to a fast start before the injury and is likely done for the season. For now, the Buckeyes are weighing their options at the one spot nobody can really afford to get wrong.
Even without a completion last week, Luke Fahey drew a strong endorsement from his coach.
"He's an extremely hard worker," Day said of Fahey. "He puts a lot of hours in.
He's extremely competitive. "He has a moxie about him.
He has a competitiveness about him. We’re always looking for quarterbacks who are obsessed with being great.
And, I think when you get around Luke, you can see how important it is to him. He puts a lot of work in."
Day pointed to the work Fahey does away from the spotlight, saying that’s where the difference shows up most clearly.
"You know, you see him [Fahey] in the off-season; he's in here early with the receivers and he's going through the [play] scripts," Day said. "He's in the meeting rooms putting in a lot of work, learning the plays."
What Day likes, though, isn’t limited to the classroom or the practice field. He said Fahey’s presence changes once the ball is live.
"When he steps in the huddle, he has got it," Day added. "The [offensive] lineman feel that.
Obviously, he was a little overwhelmed...drinking through a firehose a little bit during that [Indiana] game. That's a tough spot to be in as a true freshman going into the fourth quarter like that.
But even just him being out there, you can see him escape the pocket and make that play."
For Day, the learning curve is part of the deal with a young quarterback, and he said he wants Fahey to lean on him and the staff as he keeps moving forward.
"He has got to find the speed of the game," Day said. "Settle in, which we can help him do. And then, he just has a competitiveness about him that I think is pretty contagious."
In a little over a week, Ohio State will find out whether Day and the Buckeyes are ready to trust Fahey with the offense as their CFP and Big Ten title hopes hang in the balance.
In Other News...
Indiana Fans Just Got A Bigger Reason To Watch Josh Hoover
Josh Hoovers rise to the top of the Big Ten quarterback rankings adds another layer to a conference race that has already been thinned by injuries and uneven play. With the rankings pared down from eight quarterbacks to five, Hoover now sits ahead of a group that still includes Purdues Ryan Browne, whose recent performance was enough to push him into the top five despite a loss, along with Northwesterns Hunter Maiava and Nebraskas Jeff Colandrea.
For Indiana fans, Hoovers new standing gives them an even clearer reason to keep an eye on him as Week 8 approaches. The competition around him has shifted quickly, especially after Ohio States Julian Sayin was injured, and the latest shuffle underscores how much the Big Tens quarterback picture has changed in a short span. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Now Faces A New Michigan Wrinkle At Quarterback
Freshman Tommy Carr is suddenly the quarterback Indiana has to prepare for, and the change gives Michigan a different look heading into the matchup. After Bryce Underwood was benched because of accuracy issues and turnovers during his starts, Carr stepped in and helped spark a comeback win over Penn State, giving the Wolverines a reason to believe the offense can settle down.
For Indiana, the wrinkle is less about a mystery and more about adjusting to a new version of the same opponent on short notice. Carrs passing output was modest, but he also delivered a key rushing touchdown, and Michigan is hoping the switch leads to a more consistent operation under center. The Hoosiers now have to plan for a quarterback making his first real run at the job, which can change both the rhythm and the run-pass balance of the game. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Respect For Indiana Just Raised The Stakes In Ann Arbor
Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham spent part of his pregame availability giving Indiana a level of respect that usually tells you plenty about the matchup before anyone takes the field. He pointed to Curt Cignettis team as a balanced, veteran group that takes care of the ball, the kind of profile that tends to travel well and force opponents to stay sharp from the opening snap.
The other wrinkle is on Michigans side, where Whittingham said the Wolverines will turn to freshman quarterback Tommy Carr against Indiana. His mobility and efficiency were part of the rationale, but it also adds another layer to a game already carrying more intrigue because of what Indiana has built. When a conference opponent talks this carefully about your strengths, it usually means the margin for error gets a lot thinner in Ann Arbor. [Read more 🡒]