Fahey to start for injured Ohio State

True freshman Luke Fahey is set to challenge for the starting quarterback position at Ohio State on Saturday. The change comes after Julian Sayin, the team's starter, was sidelined indefinitely due to an injury to his throwing arm. Fahey will face the University of Southern California at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. If he starts, it will be his first appearance as a college starter. The matchup occurs 55 years after Fahey's father watched a Rose Bowl game in the same venue.

Coach Ryan Day has not officially named a starter yet. The decision remains between Fahey and sophomore Tavien St. Clair. However, Fahey gained experience two weeks ago when he replaced Sayin during a game at Indiana. That game ended in a 19-15 victory for the Buckeyes. Fahey entered the contest facing a second-and-28 situation. He scrambled for eight yards and drew a late-hit penalty that secured a first down. He completed zero of two pass attempts in that brief stint.

Day praised Fahey's attitude during the preparation for the USC game. "He has a moxie about him. He has a competitiveness about him," Day said. "We're always looking for quarterbacks who are just obsessed with being great, and I think when you get around Luke, you can quickly see how important it is to him." Day noted that Fahey handles high-pressure moments well, stating, "I don't think the moment was too big for him."

The Fahey family has deep roots at the university that date back to the 19th century. Luke's great-grandfather, Edward Gorman, enrolled at Ohio State in 1898. Gorman met his first wife there, and her brother, Walter "Rink" Barrington, played quarterback for the team from 1906 to 1908. Rosemary Fahey, Luke's late mother, also attended the university. She met Stephen Fahey, Luke's father, while both worked in the university library. The couple married in 1958.

Stephen Fahey raised his son in California but maintained a strong allegiance to Ohio State. He described the family dynamic as understanding that local schools like UCLA were good, but Ohio State was the priority. Stephen recalled watching the 2014 national championship game with Luke, who was seven years old at the time. He joked that if he had naming rights, his son would be Rex Fahey, a nod to former Ohio State quarterback Rex Kern. Both Luke and Kern stand 5-foot-11.

Chad Johnson, who coached Fahey at Mission Viejo High School, ranked him as the best quarterback he had coached. Johnson placed Fahey above Josh Rosen and DJ Uiagalelei. Fahey helped lead his high school team to a state championship as a sophomore. He passed for more than 7,000 yards during his high school career. Johnson trusted Fahey enough to let him call every play during 7-on-7 competitions before his senior season. Fahey frequently changed protections and route concepts at the line of scrimmage.

Stanford and Indiana recruited Fahey, but Ohio State made the final offer. During a recruiting visit, the family toured the house where Rosemary grew up and visited a local cemetery. Ryan Day met with Fahey in his office and offered him a scholarship despite his height and recruitment status. "He looked at him and goes, 'This is why I like you, because of work ethic; you're a winner,'" Stephen recalled. Fahey signed with the Buckeyes and beat St. Clair for the backup role during preseason camp.

Stephen Fahey plans to attend the game at the Coliseum. His father died 34 years ago, and his mother passed away in 2020. He reflected on the family history while watching his son prepare to play in California. "It would be one of those moments like, wow," Stephen said. "'We just expected that to be our alma mater, Steve. We didn't expect that your son would have another chapter.'"