Arthur Smith Grapples with Backup QB Dilemma as Buckeyes Chase Championship

When Ryan Day told the media that Julian Sayin’s season was looking doubtful, the message was clear: Ohio State can’t afford to lose momentum. The pressure landed squarely on offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who now has just a fortnight to re‑tool the Buckeyes’ attack for the final stretch of the season.

“The expectations don’t change,” Smith said, his tone steady but honest. “You just try to play to the strengths of your offense.” He isn’t about downgrading the game plan; he’s about tweaking it—leaning more on the ground game, staying flexible, and trusting the talent on the depth chart.

Enter the two backups: sophomore Luke Fahey and senior Tavien St. Clair. They’re not carbon copies of Sayin, and that’s exactly why Smith is pushing them to be themselves. “You’ve got to understand your players and you’ve got to adapt and play to your strengths,” he explained. “You’re not asking them to be Julian. You’re asking them to be themselves.”

Fahey has impressed the staff with a work ethic that borders on obsessive. Smith described his approach as having a “pro mindset,” noting that the young quarterback spends countless hours in the film room and on the practice field. “He puts a lot of work into it,” Smith said, “I think he operates at a high level.”

St. Clair, on the other hand, brings a big arm and poise in the pocket. “Tavien’s obviously got a big arm,” Smith remarked. “He’s another guy that can extend plays. He’s a big person in the pocket.” That size and confidence could open up a deeper passing attack when the situation calls for it.

The coaching staff knows the clock can tick down in an instant. “The situation can change in a blink of an eye,” Smith warned, underscoring the need for contingency plans and for backups to be ready at a moment’s notice. The upcoming bye week, therefore, isn’t a luxury—it’s a crucial window to run drills, fine‑tune the run game, and decide who gets the snaps in specific packages.

By midseason, the Buckeyes will travel to Los Angeles for a high‑stakes Halloween night showdown against USC. Smith hinted that the staff will use the bye to assess what’s working, clean up the rough edges, and possibly shuffle the playbook to suit whichever quarterback ends up leading the offense on that night.

In the end, it’s a classic Ohio State storyline: a top‑tier program, a sudden injury, and a coaching staff forced to improvise while keeping the championship goal in clear view. Whether Fahey’s diligence or St. Clair’s arm will carry the Buckeyes to the next big game remains to be seen, but the belief in the system—and the willingness to adapt—are unmistakably intact.