Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair: The Latest on the Quarterback Situation

Ohio State still has not officially named a starting quarterback for USC, but Ryan Day may already have a pretty good idea who it will be. On this episode of the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr break down Day’s latest comments on the competition between Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair and what they may reveal about the Buckeyes’ plan at quarterback. Day continues to emphasize that Fahey entered the competition ahead, while also saying both quarterbacks still need to be ready. Tony and Tom discuss why that sounds like Fahey remains the favorite, why Ohio State may be delaying an announcement, and how valuable first-team reps have become this week. 0:01 — The latest on Ohio State’s quarterback situation 0:43 — Ryan Day still hasn’t named a starter 1:50 — Does Day already know who the starter is? 3:12 — Why Luke Fahey still looks like the favorite 5:01 — The value of first-team reps 6:40 — What Ryan Day is looking for in his quarterback 8:45 — Day’s demeanor and confidence level 11:05 — How do you keep the starter from looking over his shoulder? 12:18 — Could both quarterbacks play against USC? 14:06 — Could Tavien St. Clair have a short-yardage package? 15:30 — Why this is such a consequential week 15:50 — Is starting on the road actually better for a young QB? Tom believes Ohio State may be keeping the competition open publicly in part to make sure both quarterbacks stay fully engaged and prepared. That matters even more after watching Julian Sayin go down, because whoever doesn’t start could still be needed at any moment. The first-team reps are especially important now. Fahey and St. Clair need timing with the offensive line, wide receivers, and center Carson Hinzman, while also adjusting to everything from cadence to snap location to the speed of Ohio State’s starting defense. Day also outlined what he wants from the starter: toughness, routine plays made routinely, staying on schedule, and avoiding the kind of mistakes that turn a bad situation into something worse. And while Day acknowledged there is a path for both quarterbacks to play, Tony and Tom both expect Ohio State to choose one starter and give that player the confidence to settle into the game rather than constantly looking over his shoulder. Subscribe to the Buckeye Insiders YouTube channel for more Ohio State football coverage, and join the conversation at BuckeyeInsiders.com.