The fact that Tavien St. Clair had dropped below freshman Luke Fahey on Ohio State's depth chart became significant when starting quarterback Julian Sayin suffered an injury against Indiana on Oct. 17, sidelining him indefinitely.
A five-star recruit out of Bellefontaine High School, St. Clair threw for over 2,500 yards and 29 touchdowns his senior year, earning him his third Central Buckeye Conference Offensive Player of the Year award. He would become the first Ohio-based quarterback to sign a scholarship agreement with Ohio State since Joe Burrow.
Given that and his 2025 experience practicing alongside Sayin and now-Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz,
the 6-foot-4 sophomore was widely expected to be the second-string quarterback this season.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day changed those expectations during preseason camp, saying St. Clair and Fahey were competing for the backup role.
"The plan, when both those guys came here, was to play," Day said.
In the third quarter of Ohio State's season opener against Ball State, Fahey was the one to replace Sayin with the Buckeyes ahead by 39 points. He had 62 yards on 5-for-6 passing with a touchdown and an interception. St. Clair eventually appeared in the fourth quarter, going 5 for 6 for 52 yards and a touchdown in the 56-3 victory.
Both quarterbacks also appeared against Kent State, and the rotation was the same. First Fahey entered the game (4 for 5, 141 yards, one touchdown and one interception), then St. Clair (0 for 1 with a pick).
Fahey remained Sayin's backup going into the Indiana game, so he was the one to finish Ohio State's final two drives against the Hoosiers. The 5-foot-11 Mission Viejo, California native went 0-for-2 in the 19-15 win, though he displayed athleticism on his first play, scrambling for 8 yards to move the chains.
While Day credited Fahey for stepping into a tough situation during a top-five matchup, he has yet to name an official starter for the foreseeable future. Instead, Day has kept St. Clair in the conversation, giving him and Fahey first-team reps throughout the bye week.
"This is a challenge for both Luke and Tavien to step up in a big way," Day said. "And a coach can always say you're one snap away, until it's real, and it's real now. When someone goes down, someone else has to step up, and this is an unbelievable opportunity for them."
Ohio State offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, in his first season working with both backups, praised Fahey's "pro-mindset" throughout practices, and especially in entering the Indiana game.
Regarding St. Clair, Smith focused on his ability from the pocket, which the sophomore flashed during his final drive against Ball State, which he concluded with a 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Henry Jr.
"Obviously, he's got a big arm. He's a guy who can extend plays," Smith said. "He's a big person in the pocket. A little bit of different players. Both have strengths that you like. And both of them, in midseason, do things that we do well, that's what they've been practicing."
Either Fahey or St. Clair will make their first start on the road against No. 15 USC on Oct. 31.
bmackay@dispatch.com
@brimackay15
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Is Tavien St. Clair in the running to be OSU's starting QB?
