Ohio State starter’s admission around QB situation after Julian Sayin’s injury spills it all for the Buckeyes
Devin McCuin dropped an interesting comment on Ohio State’s quarterback situation that Buckeye Nation will want to hear.
The bye week came at the right time for the Ohio State Buckeyes following the win over Indiana. That break is now over, and Ohio State travels to Southern California on Thursday for its Week 9 game against USC on Saturday night.
The Buckeyes are 6-1 and sit in a great spot if they can keep winning without quarterback Julian Sayin. Sayin went down against Indiana with what looked like an elbow injury that all but ended his season. It’s a tough break in the thick of Big Ten to say the least. Still, the Buckeyes have to pick up the pieces and keep pushing forward.
Ohio State’s quarterback decision for USC
Moving on without Sayin could mean freshman quarterback Luke Fahey starts the rest of the way. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has not committed to a starting quarterback yet. However, Fahey has served as the backup to Sayin all year after he beat out sophomore Tavien St. Clair in the quarterback battle, and he has held that job ever since.
Both quarterbacks took reps with the starters over the bye week. Buckeyes fans will have to wait until Saturday to find out who gets the nod, but it would be a surprise if it wasn’t Fahey.
Ohio State starting wide receiver Devin McCuin offered a comment that captures how the Buckeyes feel about whoever lines up behind center.
“Luke and Tavien, they have a true command of the offense, so it’s not really much of a drop off. So we’ll be good,” McCuin said.
That’s a confident line from McCuin, who has 19 catches for 268 yards and two touchdowns for the Buckeyes. It also tells you the wideout room trusts both young quarterbacks to run the offense without a major drop in production.
Jeremiah Smith remains the centerpiece of the Buckeyes’ offense no matter what
Whoever starts, Ohio State’s top-10 offense is going to want to keep feeding superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. The Heisman favorite has 52 catches for 984 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in just seven games. Those numbers put him in rare company, and they make life easier for any quarterback stepping into a starting role for the first time.
The Buckeyes’ offense runs through Smith first. From there, the running game supplements it with Bo Jackson and now Isaiah West carrying the load with Ja’Kobi Jackson out. Secondary playmakers like McCuin, Chris Henry Jr., and the tight ends then get into the mix.
That supporting cast gives a new starter plenty of options. Ohio State doesn’t need its quarterback to win games on his own. It needs him to get the ball to the right players and avoid costly mistakes on the road.
A Saturday night road game at USC is a good first test for the Buckeyes’ new starter. It’ll be a road environment, and Ohio State’s young quarterback will have to handle it without much live game experience as the starter.
Day’s decision, and how the offense responds, will shape the rest of the Buckeyes’ season. McCuin’s quote comes off as a reflection that he and his teammates sound confident. Saturday night will show whether that confidence carries over to the field.
