Ohio State’s trip to Indiana did not cost the Buckeyes in the win-loss column. However, the 19-15 victory could affect the season in another way.
Strategist Julien Sayin left the game early in the fourth quarter after taking a sack from Hoosier defensive lineman Mario Landino. The junior fumbled the ball, which was recovered by the right tackle. Philip Danielsbut had to leave the game and did not return. Sayin ran to the locker room with her arm hanging at her side. When he returned to the sidelines, his right arm was in a sling.
After the match, the head coach Ryan Day said Sayin would be out for “several weeks.” On Monday during the Buckeye Roundtable, Day said Sayin would be out “at least several weeks” but was still waiting for more information.
“No updates at this time,” the head coach said. “They’re still going through some of their tests and some of their meetings.”
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Following injury to freshman Sayin Luc Fahey took over at quarterback. Fahey started well, running for eight yards on his first play against IU and taking a late hit that gave the Scarlet and Gray a first down. However, he completed an 0-for-2 pass, was called for intentional grounding, and was sacked once.
Fahey, a former three-star prospect from Mission Viejo, Calif., was a surprise for Ohio State This year. He won the backup quarterback job over the former five-star. Tavian St-Clair and played in two games, completing 9 of 11 passes for 203 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions before Saturday’s action.
Although Fahey didn’t impress against Indiana, Day saw positives in the freshman quarterback. He liked the scrimmage that helped the Buckeyes win the first down and the way his teammates responded to Fahey. That said, Day knows the quarterback will need to calm down going forward.
“It was a good sign for his first game,” Day said. “Now, that being said, I mean, I think his heart rate was going really fast during the game, and as I told him, I said, ‘You just have to find the speed of the game here.’ So, a unique place to be placed as a freshman, but he’s someone that so far, he comes in every day prepared. I think he has the respect of the team, and so now he’s going to be given a bigger role.”
Given his lack of experience, the offense will almost certainly have to adjust with Fahey at quarterback. Ohio State may need to simplify things as Fahey steps into the starting role after just 10 months in the program.
“Plays that he feels comfortable with and knows,” Day said. “And sometimes in a place like that, it’s kind of the plays that we put in during preseason camp that they have a lot of reps in because some of the things that are in the game plan, the starter usually gets the majority of the reps. And so he might not have a lot of those reps in the week. But there’s always those plays that are in the game plan or, at the very least, on the back of the game plan that we carry and which are just day one setups that are always part of the game plan, and usually when you find yourself in a situation like that, that’s what you turn to.”
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Fortunately, the Scarlet and Gray are off this week before heading to U.S.C. on Halloween weekend. “Off” doesn’t mean no practice, though, and it will be especially important for Fahey to use the extra time to prepare for what should be his first career start against a top-20 player in his home country.
“There’s going to be a lot of work to do with the quarterbacks,” Day said. “He’s been here before, as you can imagine, watching film, getting along with (the offensive coordinator) Arthur Smith), going over some of the things we’re going to see against USC. I go over some of the things they are comfortable with and have done. Have a lot of these kinds of conversations. And then we’ll practice three days this week and start identifying things we want to do heading into next week. But I think this bye week comes at a good time for us to move forward and come up with a good plan.”
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