Jeremiah Smith knows the reality in front of Ohio State is simple: the Buckeyes have to get Luke Fahey ready fast, and there’s not much room to ease into it.
Smith has spent three seasons with Julian Sayin in Columbus, including two with Sayin as the starting quarterback, and that pairing has helped turn the Buckeyes’ top receiver into one of the most dangerous weapons in the country. Sayin and Smith have developed the kind of timing that shows up every week, with Smith producing massive numbers and looking like the best player in the nation no matter who’s throwing him the ball.
That comfort now has to be built from scratch with Fahey, a three-star freshman who enrolled in Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class eight months ago. Smith has had only a handful of game snaps with him, and the timing of the transition is rough: Sayin is out for at least several weeks after the injury he suffered against Indiana, and Fahey is lined up to make his first career start against USC in two weeks.
“A lot of practice, a lot of reps - we got to get together. Especially (since) we got a bye this week," Smith said of working with Fahey after beating the Hoosiers.
"We got time. About two weeks until we play a game.
So it's going to take time to build that. I ain't going to say it's going to take one day.
It's not that easy. But, like I said, it's going to take time."
The problem for Ohio State is that time is limited. The Buckeyes need the bye week to do as much as they can before heading into a difficult closing stretch, and Smith, Fahey and the offense have to get on the same page quickly before that trip to USC.
If Fahey doesn’t settle in fast, Ohio State’s offense could take a hit, and Smith’s production could come down from the blistering pace he’s set through seven games. He has 52 catches for 984 yards and 12 touchdowns, and that kind of output can fuel a Heisman push. Even so, he remains the frontrunner for the award right now.
Still, the bigger picture matters more than any individual race. For Smith and Ohio State, the priority is winning out in the regular season, taking the Big Ten Championship Game and pushing through to a national title at the end of the 2026-27 season.
And the Buckeyes’ path runs through No. 4 touching the football as often as possible. That’s been true since he arrived on campus, and it has to remain true now.
That also makes Smith’s usage a point of emphasis in every critical situation. It stood out against Indiana late in the first half, when he was left on the sideline for three straight plays in 14 personnel.
Smith said afterward that he was “upset” about not being on the field. The sequence ended with Ohio State scoring on a 2-yard reception by Bo Jackson after Smith came back in on 4th-and-goal, but with Fahey now stepping in, the Buckeyes have even more reason to keep Smith involved when the pressure rises.
The easiest way for Fahey to settle in against USC may be to lean on Smith early and often. Bubble screens and quick throws can give the freshman some rhythm, and Smith has already served as a safety valve for Sayin - and before that for Will Howard in 2024. There’s no reason that role can’t continue, even with the change at quarterback and the gap in experience.
Fahey has to be ready when his first start arrives against the Trojans. Smith does too, because the next two weeks are all about building whatever chemistry they can before the ball is kicked off.
In Other News...
Ohio States Playoff Push Just Got A Tough Julian Sayin Twist
Ohio States unbeaten march took a hit in the middle of an otherwise important win over Indiana, when quarterback Julian Sayin left with an arm injury and did not return. Ryan Day said afterward that Sayin is expected to be out for several weeks, a development that lands at a tricky point in the Buckeyes season as the schedule starts to tighten up.
Freshman Luke Fahey now steps into the backup role while Ohio State tries to keep its playoff momentum intact. The Buckeyes moved to 6-1 with the win, but the margin for error is slimmer now with tough games ahead and a quarterback situation that suddenly looks much different than it did before Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Suddenly Has A Running Back Problem To Solve
The Buckeyes are heading into the Indiana game with a thinner backfield than they expected, after Ja'Kobi Jackson was confirmed unavailable because of an injury that appears to be more serious than first believed. Based on what was seen in the game, the issue looks to be a foot injury, and Jacksons Instagram post suggested the recovery could be a difficult one.
For Ohio State, the immediate concern is how the carries get redistributed in his absence. Bo Jackson and Legend Bey are expected to take on a bigger role at running back, and the Buckeyes will need that group to settle in quickly as the offense adjusts without one of its depth pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State's Big Win Just Created A Julian Sayin Problem
Ohio States 19-15 win over Indiana came with a fresh concern attached to it, because Julian Sayin was forced out of the game with an injury and left the locker room with his right throwing arm in a sling. The Buckeyes did enough to avoid a second loss and hand Indiana its first defeat since the end of the 2024 season, but the victory carried an obvious cost as the day wore on.
What happens next with Sayin is now the question hanging over the program. His future status is still unknown, and with Ohio State trying to build on a hard-fought win, any absence at quarterback would turn a gritty result into a much bigger storyline in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]