Julian Sayin’s season is over, and now the picture around his injury is finally clear.
Ohio State has been trying to move forward without him, and the first test of that transition didn’t go the Buckeyes’ way in a loss to USC in Los Angeles. Luke Fahey got the start and wasn’t the reason Ohio State came up short. The true freshman threw for 260 yards and handled himself as well as could reasonably be expected.
For now, Fahey looks like the quarterback Ohio State will ride with. If he struggles, Tavien St.
Clair would be next in line. But Sayin is out of the equation.
Bill Rabinowitz reported that Sayin had a broken elbow, and the injury required surgery. The procedure was done two weeks ago, and the recovery is underway. The prognosis is good, and he is expected to make a full recovery, but he will not play again this season.
That timeline fits the usual recovery window for a fractured elbow, which runs from six months to a year. So even with the surgery going well, there was never much of a path back this year.
It leaves Ohio State with the job of making the offense work around Fahey. Getting the ball to Jeremiah Smith as often as possible should be part of that plan, but the Buckeyes also need more help from the coaching staff in creating open looks downfield.
The offensive line needs attention, too. Ian Moore is unlikely to play Saturday, which would move Austin Siereveld to left tackle and bring Phillip Daniels back in at right tackle.
Sayin’s injury also puts his future with Ohio State in doubt. He could choose to enter the NFL and try to cash in now, though his draft stock would not be especially strong. A third-round selection is mentioned as a possibility, assuming the recovery goes according to plan.
There is also a scenario where Sayin stays, but it depends heavily on how the rest of the season unfolds. If Fahey or St.
Clair leads Ohio State to a national title, Sayin would likely have a conversation with Ryan Day that would almost certainly push him toward a transfer. Day would not bench a national title-winning quarterback, even if Sayin looks sharp heading into next year.
On the other hand, if the quarterback play falls apart the rest of the way, Sayin could return and be in position to start for Ohio State next season. That remains on the table. Still, the most likely outcome appears to be that he is playing somewhere else next year.
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