Ohio State Buckeyes fans everywhere are waiting to find out how long quarterback Julian Sayin will be sidelined after the injury he suffered against the Indiana Hoosiers. Ohio State escaped with a 19-15 win in the top 5 matchup, but it came at a cost. According to head coach Ryan Day, Sayin is going to be out several weeks at least.

There isn’t much detail on what exactly Sayin is dealing with. We know the injury came on a hard hit late in the game against Indiana. When Sayin returned to the sideline later in that quarter from the locker room, his right arm was in a sling.

Ohio State isn’t going to come out and say what the injury is. Day has never been open about injuries or even timelines, so this could become something he handles week by week for the rest of the regular season.

Urban Meyer speculates on Julian Sayin’s injury

Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer offered his own read on the situation. Meyer was at the game as part of Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff coverage, and he discussed what he saw on his podcast, The Triple Option.

“Julian Sayin afterwards, we were there, he had a smile on his face,” Meyer said. “He had his arm in a sling. I watched closely, I don’t have any insider information. It’s either an AC joint, it’s either a broken collarbone, it’s either a rotator, or a labrum.”

Meyer isn’t a doctor, and he made it clear he doesn’t have inside information. Still, he has been around his fair share of football injuries during his coaching career, so his take is at least notable.

The encouraging part of Meyer’s account is that Sayin had a smile on his face after the game. That fits the personality Sayin has shown in Columbus. Whether this ends up being the worst outcome or something that only holds him out several weeks, it’s good to hear he was in good spirits.

Ohio State’s offense runs through Sayin and Jeremiah Smith

Losing Sayin for the season would be a devastating blow for the Buckeyes. The connection between Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is what makes this team go.

Sayin has already cleared 2,000 passing yards with 19 touchdown passes. Smith accounts for 984 of those receiving yards and 12 of those touchdowns, and he’s averaging 140.6 receiving yards per game. That kind of production doesn’t come along often, even at a program that churns out first-round wideouts.

Keeping Smith involved is going to be key while Sayin is out for at least several games. Ohio State still has a lot to play for, and the offense can’t afford to let its best playmaker disappear without its starting quarterback. It’ll be up to freshman Luke Fahey to keep the offense churning. 

The coming weeks will show how Day and the offensive staff adjust, and whether any more clarity on Sayin’s injury surfaces. For now, the Buckeyes have a win over Indiana in hand and a long wait ahead on their quarterback.