Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin has remained with the team since suffering an injury against Indiana on Oct. 17.
“It says a lot about Julian that he’s not just off getting his rehab wherever,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “He’s with the team and with Luke [Fahey] helping him out.”
Advertisement
Sayin was ruled out indefinitely following the 19-15 win over the Hoosiers, in which defensive lineman Mario Landino came down on Sayin’s right arm during a sack in the fourth quarter. Sayin, a second-year starter, returned to Ohio State’s sideline that day in a sling, which he was no longer wearing when the Buckeyes lost 41-28 to Oregon on Nov. 7.
Before the injury, Sayin was on track to improve in most areas from his first season, throwing for 2,007 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions, though his completion rate was down from 77% to 68.2%. He’d also shown more ability as a runner, scoring two rushing touchdowns.
The Carlsbad, California, native was considered a 2027 NFL Draft option going into the season, but there was always a chance he could return to Ohio State next year, having two more years of eligibility.
More: Will Julian Sayin return to Ohio State next year? What we know
Advertisement
Sayin, one of the seven Ohio State captains this season, walked out for the coin toss before both games he’s missed and stayed on the sideline with an earpiece and a play script in his hand.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin watches warm ups prior to the NCAA football game against the Oregon Ducks at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 7, 2026.
Day indicated that his presence, from the practices to games, has been significant for freshman quarterback Luke Fahey as Fahey navigates his new starting role.
“He’s just another voice for him,” Day said. “Somebody who’s actually not just coached it, but actually done it, run the plays that we’re working on. So, I think Luke feels like he’s got somebody there that he can go to and get some counsel on.”
Advertisement
Fahey threw for over 250 yards in losses to USC and Oregon, but he has struggled to find a rhythm. Against the Ducks, Fahey recorded 89.7% of his 360 passing yards in the first and fourth quarters, going 11-for-17 and throwing his lone interception during the stretch in between.
“When you’re playing with a young quarterback, there are times you have to adapt,” Ohio State offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said. “We have a lot of different ways to do that, to take stress off the quarterback in terms of how we communicate play calls and different packages.”
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) walks to the field before the NCAA football game against the Oregon Ducks at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 7, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.
Fahey had better stats in his starting debut compared to Sayin’s first game in the 2025 season-opener against Texas, as Fahey went 21-for-38 for 260 yards and a touchdown while Sayin went 13-for-20 for 126 yards and a touchdown.
Advertisement
However, the current freshman has had a smaller margin for error, with the defense allowing an average of 35.5 points over the last two games.
Day has stated that Fahey will still be the starter over sophomore Tavien St. Clair when Ohio State faces Northwestern at home on Nov. 14.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Julian Sayin continues working with Ohio State QB Luke Fahey
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
