Ohio State backup quarterback Luke Fahey is expected to be the starter while Julian Sayin recovers from an apparent arm/shoulder injury for the next few weeks.
Sayin left after being sacked during the fourth quarter of Ohio State's 19-15 win against the Hoosiers
. He ran into the locker room with a member of the Buckeyes’ medical staff and was replaced by Fahey. He returned from the locker room with his right arm in a sling.After the game, Ohio State coach Ryan Day said it would be a matter of "weeks" before Sayin is likely to return.
Learn about Ohio State's 5-11, 206-pound backup quarterback below.
Who is Ohio State quarterback Luke Fahey?
Fahey was a three-star recruit and the No. 35 quarterback in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He quickly stepped up as a freshman
and lost his black stripe following the Buckeyes’ first preseason intrasquad scrimmage on Aug. 15.
At the beginning of preseason training camp, Day praised Fahey's development.
“He’s really been doing a great job,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said in August. “He’s putting a lot of pressure on Tavien. He really is. He’s been competing. He’s been making plays.”
Before camp, it was presumed that quarterback Tavien St. Clair would move up after spending last year as the third-stringer. St. Clair stood out during the spring game in April. The native of Bellefontaine, who was the first Ohio high school quarterback since Joe Burrow to sign a scholarship agreement with Ohio State, was a highly touted five-star prospect.
In the week leading up to Ohio State's season opener, Day said that St. Clair and Fahey would continue to split reps with the second-team offense in practices leading up to the game. By the time the Ball State game came around on Sept. 5, it was Fahey, not St. Clair, who entered the contest when Sayin's day was done.
Fahey took over with 7:17 remaining in the third quarter with Ohio State leading 42-3. After completing his first pass for two yards to Isaiah West, Fahey threw an interception after freshman wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. dropped the pass, which popped up for opposing cornerback Cedric Franklin III to grab.
Ohio State quarterback Luke Fahey stats vs Indiana
Entering the fourth quarter against the Hoosiers, Fahey went 0 for 2 passing and rushed for -2 yards. He had one carry for eight yards, but was called for intentional grounding on his second drive and was penalized with a 10-yard sack as a result.
Ohio State QB Luke Fahey season stats
Before the Indiana game, Fahey appeared in Ohio State's wins against Ball State and Kent State, when he passed for 203 total yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions on an 81.8% completion rate. He was also briefly behind center against Maryland, but recorded no stats.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Who is Luke Fahey? More about Ohio State backup elevated after Sayin's injury
