Ohio State fans would probably prefer a straight answer about who will start at quarterback against USC on Saturday. Instead, head coach Ryan Day is keeping his options open, and there may be a good reason for that.
Julian Sayin was injured against Indiana on October 17. With the Buckeyes coming off a bye week, Day has had extra time to look at Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair. But after Monday’s appearance on the Buckeye Roundtable show, he still wasn’t ready to name a starter.
Day said both quarterbacks had embraced the opportunity to get more work. That’s encouraging, but it doesn’t tell fans much about who is ahead. And that’s where this gets interesting.
This Isn’t Just a Choice Between Two Quarterbacks
Fahey stepped in for Sayin against Indiana, so he has at least had the experience of entering a game when things suddenly changed. St. Clair, meanwhile, arrived in Columbus with plenty of attention as a five-star recruit and brings a different set of possibilities, including a big arm.
One may offer more mobility. The other may offer a different dimension in the passing game. Those differences matter, but practice performance, preparation, and how each quarterback handles the pressure will matter more than recruiting rankings or reputation.
Day’s challenge isn’t simply to identify the more talented player. It’s to decide which quarterback gives Ohio State the best chance to beat USC right now.
Could Two Quarterbacks Be Better Than One?
There’s another possibility worth considering. Ohio State could use both quarterbacks, at least in certain situations, rather than making the decision entirely one or the other.
That approach can work, but it isn’t easy. Quarterbacks need rhythm, and an offence needs to know what it’s trying to do. Switching between two players with different strengths could create opportunities, but it could also leave both struggling to settle into the game.
The old football saying is that if you have two quarterbacks, you don’t really have one. It’s a catchy line, not an unbreakable rule.
The Bigger Test for Ryan Day
Ohio State has championship expectations, and an injury doesn’t make those expectations disappear. But this is also a reminder that a good coach sometimes has to make decisions without having every answer in advance.
Day has used the bye week to give both quarterbacks more work. Now comes the harder part: choosing a plan and giving the player who gets the opportunity enough confidence to run with it.
Fans want a name. Day needs the right answer. Saturday against USC should give us a better idea of whether he’s found it.
Related: Will Stein Has Kentucky Rolling. Can the Wildcats Meet Expectations?
