Julian Sayin’s injury has thrown Ohio State’s quarterback situation into chaos, and Ryan Day cannot afford another setback with USC waiting. The Buckeyes have championship-level talent, but that means little if an inexperienced quarterback becomes their biggest liability. Nick Saban has now spelled out exactly what Day needs from Sayin’s replacement.
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Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Nick Saban made one point that should be sitting firmly in Ryan Day’s mind. The replacement QB does not need to win the game. He needs to be efficient enough to keep Ohio State’s offense functioning and avoid mistakes that put the team in trouble.
“I don’t think this quarterback needs to win the game for him,” he said. “He just needs to be efficient and effective enough not to lose it and make the kind of big time errors that will put you in the hole and put your defense in the hole.”
That’s a much simpler job description than asking a freshman to become the next big thing overnight. But there is a catch. Ohio State cannot afford to become predictable. Nick Saban was discussing the challenge facing Ryan Day ahead of the USC matchup when he explained why maintaining offensive balance matters so much.
“I think the key to the drill is can Ohio State maintain balance because the quarterback is effective enough to be able to get the ball to Jeremiah Smith and some of the other weapons they have,” he said.
Nick Saban then pointed out the danger of allowing USC to focus almost entirely on the ground game, saying, “And not just become one-dimensional run, run, run, run where the other team can play an eight-man front not respecting what the quarterback can do.”
That is the problem Ryan Day must avoid because that would be a waste of the talent surrounding the QB. Jeremiah Smith has been outstanding, putting up 984 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns this season. Ohio State also has other capable playmakers on the outside.
There is no reason to park those weapons simply because the main starter is unavailable. Nick Saban knows the replacement QB just has to give the defense enough reason to respect the passing game. The question now is who gets that responsibility.
Julian Sayin’s injury to his right throwing arm during Ohio State’s October 17 win over Indiana leaves Ryan Day choosing between true freshman Luke Fahey and sophomore Tavien St. Clair ahead of the October 31 trip to Los Angeles.
Fahey has the edge in experience after winning the backup job in camp and replacing Julian Sayin against Indiana. He has 203 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. St. Clair brings the bigger recruiting profile. The former five-star threw for over 10,000 yards in high school and ranked No. 10 nationally in ESPN’s 2025 recruiting rankings. Neither has started a college game, although Fahey is reportedly trending toward starting against USC, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.
Ohio State has enough talent to make this work
There is still plenty working in the Buckeyes’ favor. Ohio State enters the matchup at 6-1, averaging 39.3 points per game while allowing just 13.4. Bo Jackson has contributed 516 rushing yards, while Jeremiah Smith remains one of the most dangerous WRs in college football.
USC, meanwhile, is 6-2, with QB Jayden Maiava throwing for 2,303 yards and 19 touchdowns. The Trojans are at home, but their defensive issues give Ohio State opportunities if the offense can stay balanced. Nick Saban also made it clear that he likes the Buckeyes’ overall roster, particularly its offensive line.
“They had a good offensive line and I think this quarterback just needs to be efficient and effective enough to keep the other team honest on defense,” he said.
While it may sound manageable, actually doing it is another matter. The Buckeyes are heading into a stretch that includes Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska, and Michigan. Julian Sayin’s recovery remains a major storyline, but Ryan Day cannot afford to treat the next few games as a waiting period.
For now, Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair must take care of the football and get the ball to the players who can make things happen. Ohio State does not need a QB trying to play hero. It needs one who understands the assignment. And against USC, that might be enough.