Urban Meyer is calling out Ryan Day’s handling of Ohio State’s quarterback crisis, questioning a missed opportunity that could haunt the Buckeyes. Since Julian Sayin suffered a throwing-arm injury against Indiana on October 17, Ohio State has lost two straight with freshman Luke Fahey under center. Despite splitting first-team reps between Fahey and five-star sophomore Tavien St. Clair during the bye week, Day has refused to give St. Clair a shot in a game.
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Now sitting at 6-3, Ohio State is sticking with Fahey, even as Meyer questions why the program failed to develop another option at QB.
Speaking on The Triple Option Podcast, Meyer raised concerns about the lack of playing time for St. Clair following two consecutive losses. Fahey went 21-of-38 for 260 yards and a touchdown in the 30-18 defeat at USC. Against Oregon, the Buckeyes blew a 14-0 lead, surrendered 38 unanswered points, and suffered a humiliating 41-28 loss at home.
“Thought he played okay against USC,” Meyer said, per an X post from The Triple Option Podcast. “There were some misfires, and he just looks a little out of place against Oregon. I am interested why they did not, because I stood next to St. Clair, right? But quarterback is the one position that there’s only one thing that matters, and that’s as much playing time as possible. I mean, the rest of the season, you’re riding Luke, because you did not get those kid reps when you probably could have.”
Fahey played every snap against Oregon, even with Ohio State trailing by 24 in the fourth quarter. Meyer argued that quarterbacks need game experience, not just practice reps, suggesting the Buckeyes squandered a chance to evaluate St. Clair. But he also acknowledged that Day may have little choice now but to stick with Fahey.
On paper, Fahey’s numbers aren’t disastrous. Across his two starts, he has recorded 620 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception with a 64.8% completion rate. His season totals stand at 823 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions.
However, according to The Columbus Dispatch, 191 of his 360 passing yards against Oregon came in the fourth quarter, when the Buckeyes trailed by as many as 24 points. He managed just 37 yards in the second and third quarters combined, exposing how badly the offense stalled after its explosive start.
Fahey had emerged as Sayin’s primary backup early in the season after competing with St. Clair during preseason camp. But following Sayin’s injury, Day kept the starting quarterback decision under wraps before USC. Both players worked with the first team during the bye week, yet Fahey ultimately got the nod.
And Day isn’t changing his mind ahead of Saturday’s matchup against Northwestern. St. Clair, a former five-star recruit from Bellefontaine, has appeared in just two games this season, completing 5 of 7 passes for 52 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in September blowouts. He hasn’t attempted a pass since Sayin’s injury.
“We’re just going to do whatever we can to win the game,” Day said, according to an X post by Joe Nugent. “It gives us the best chance to win the game. It gives the team the best chance to win it. And when we go through the process of making that decision, it ultimately is my decision. Luke is going to be our quarterback this week. And Tavien’s one snap away.”
“That mentality has got to continue to be his mentality and continue to grow. If we can continue to improve in practice and build enough trust within practice and we feel like he gives us the best chance to win, we’ll make that move. We’re not at that point right now.”
Day maintained that St. Clair must earn his opportunity through practice, while defending Fahey for “trying his tail off” despite being placed in difficult situations. The coach remains committed to developing the freshman starter and sees no immediate reason to make a switch.
With Northwestern, Nebraska, and Michigan remaining on the schedule, Ohio State faces an uphill battle to reach the Big Ten title game. Fahey remains the starter, but unless the offense improves, Meyer’s criticism of the Buckeyes’ quarterback management will only grow louder.