Luke Fahey didn’t expect his Ohio State moment to arrive this fast, but here he is - the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback, talking openly for the first time since enrolling in January and preparing for another huge test.
“It was definitely something that I dreamed of, but I definitely didn’t dream of it happening that quick,” Fahey said on The Ryan Day Show on 97.1 The Fan. “But I love it, and God put me in a position to go out there and play football and do what I love, so I’m grateful.”
Fahey’s first two outings came in very different circumstances. He was pressed into action against Indiana when Julian Sayin went down, and the freshman’s line was rough: 0-for-2 passing with a sack as Ohio State survived 19-15 in Bloomington. Two weeks later, after the bye, he had more time to prepare for USC and finished 21-for-38 for 260 yards and a touchdown in a 30-18 loss.
Even with that extra runway, Fahey said the whole stretch felt like it was moving at full speed.
“My mind was going in all kinds of different places, so I was kind of thinking about a lot of different things,” Fahey said of playing against Indiana. “And then before I knew it, it was one week before we were playing (against USC).
And then before I knew it, we were taking off. So it happened pretty quick.”
Now he’s set for his first start in Ohio Stadium against Oregon, though it won’t be his first snap in the Horseshoe. During non-conference games, Fahey entered once the outcome was already out of hand, checking in for Sayin against Ball State and Kent State. In those appearances, he went 9-for-11 for 203 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
“Being from California and just dreaming of this opportunity to play in a stadium like that in front of the fans is definitely something that is unreal,” Fahey said. “And I couldn’t put words into it after the game.
I remember going and sitting in the locker room and just like thinking, ‘I can’t even believe this really just happened.’ So I’m super excited to get out there this weekend and have The Shoe rocking.”
Fahey also made clear that Sayin has been a steady presence through the last couple of weeks. The two California natives already had a strong relationship before the injury, and Fahey said Sayin has continued helping him adjust.
“He’s definitely like one of my best friends here. When I came up for my visit here, he was the guy that was hosting me and he kind of did a really good job of helping me, showing me around, giving me the way,” Fahey said.
“And then throughout this whole process, since I first got here, he’s been helping me a lot, teaching me the Ohio ways, the Ohio State culture and all kinds of things. So he’s been great.”
The Buckeyes are asking Fahey to step into a massive role, and he knows the learning curve is real. Still, after getting through his first start, he believes the next step is settling in.
“I think after the first start, I will hopefully start to settle down and stuff like that,” Fahey said. “That first week was definitely rough, but I’m excited to move forward.”
For Fahey, this isn’t just a new job. It’s a childhood dream tied to family roots. His grandparents were Ohio State students who met in the library on campus, and he grew up watching the Buckeyes with them.
“It played into it a big time just because I grew up an Ohio State fan,” Fahey said of his grandparents. “I think since I can remember, I’ve been watching Ohio State on TV.
I’ve cried so many times for some games, but all I know is Ohio State football. So when this opportunity came around, I had to take it.”
Ohio State didn’t get the result it wanted against USC, but Fahey gets another shot quickly, with Oregon next and November demanding wins. He said the urgency in the building is obvious, and he’s confident the Buckeyes will respond.
“There’s definitely been a lot of enthusiasm this whole kind of week, knowing that there’s a lot of urgency in this building of what needs to get done,” Fahey said. “I’m super excited for this team this weekend to go out there and show it on Saturday.”
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