Ryan Day's Ohio State Week 9 Update Sees Potential QB Boost vs. USC

With Ohio State's bye week nearly over, the focus has shifted toward the quarterback position ahead of Week 9 vs. USC.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Luke Fahey (13) runs the ball in the second half of the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 5, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Ohio State Buckeyes' bye week is nearly coming to a close, and coach Ryan Day still hasn't quite made a definitive decision about who his starting quarterback will be: Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair come Saturday night against the USC Trojans (7 p.m. ET, NBC).

By the time Halloween night rolls around in Los Angeles, the answer is going to be revealed. Whether it's St. Clair or Fahey, at least for the time being, coach Ryan Day is keeping his options fluid.

“It’s definitely possible,” Day told reporters. “What the situations would be and what the circumstances would be, we’d have to see, but yeah, there’s definitely a chance.”

Fahey, however, has continued to catch Day's attention thus far despite not registering a completion against Indiana in a Week 7 win in Bloomington.

"But then you saw his approach, and then when you got a chance to meet him, you saw what the makeup was, how he looked at the game," Day said of Fahey. "His mental approach was in line with what you saw on the film. And everybody's built a little bit different, but the mindset that he had was something that certainly attracted us to him."

Day, too, is optimistic about St. Clair's progression, too. St. Clair could see himself as a potential starter if Fahey struggles or if Day wants to make a complete change either mid-game, after halftime or, even earlier in the game to get a different feel.

"I think sometimes when you find yourself maybe getting the second or third team reps, you can find yourself maybe going through the motions," Day said of St. Clair. "I think this has been reenergizing, and I think it's just more of a locked-in approach."

The Buckeyes needed a quarterback switch after quarterback Julian Sayin went down with a season-ending injury, making this decision to play one (or both quarterbacks) critical.

Ryan Day Addresses Ohio State QB Controversy

Oct 17, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day walks off the field after the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"But I know what we see in practice and our players and coaches know what they see in practice," Day said. "So there's confidence," Day said.

Adding to this, Day said he is confident he and his coaching staff will get the position protocol correct.

"I mean, you can see there was an energy at practice last week and these guys are making plays. They're learning from plays, and how quickly can you learn from them and grow? And so there's a balance there."

For now, we'll see what happens come Saturday night.