Biggest Ohio State Football Camp Disappointment (And Why It Matters)

Here is one Ohio State Buckeye who seemed to disappoint during fall camp.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Tavien St. Clair (9) passes behind quarterback Julian Sayin (10) during football training camp inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in Columbus on Aug. 7, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Ohio State will open its season against Ball State on Saturday, marking the official end of fall camp. Many players made their mark for the Buckeyes during August, but a few took a step back. One player who appeared to struggle during fall camp was quarterback Tavien St. Clair.

St. Clair was not going to be in line to start this season as Julian Sayin is heading into his second season as the starter, but it did feel like St. Clair was going to be in the driver's seat to start next season if Sayin leaves for the NFl.

But that might not be the case anymore.

Ohio State is still looking for its No. 2 QB

St. Clair did not take the No. 2 quarterback spot, and he is in a competition with true freshman Luke Fahey to see who will be Sayin's backup this season.

"If we can get them both reps in the game, we'll try to do that," Ryan Day said on Tuesday. "We'll just kinda see how the game goes."

247Sports ranked St. Clair as the No. 3 quarterback in the 2025 high school recruiting class. Additionally, The Athletic's Manny Navarro ranked St. Clair as the No. 5 backup quarterback in college football this season.

"St. Clair has only taken 13 snaps and attempted two passes in his college career, but his size (6-4, 230) and potential as a former five-star recruit make him one of the country’s most tantalizing backups," Navarro wrote in July. "He is in position to take over in 2027 if Julian Sayin declares for the NFL Draft."

Navarro wrote the article before fall camp began, so new information suggested St. Clair might not be e a top-5 backup quarterback this season.

Ohio State could run into trouble if Sayin does end up suffering any injury. The Buckeyes are loaded all over the roster, but if Sayin misses time, the backup quarterback situation could hurt Ohio State's chances of winning.

The Buckeyes felt the impact of strong backup quarterbacks during the 2014 season, when Braxton Miller got injured in fall camp and missed the entire season. J.T. Barrett stepped in as the starting quarterback for the year.

However, Barrett was also injured during the Michigan game, which led Cardale Jones to step up and lead the team. Jones helped Ohio State win the first-ever College Football Playoff, defeating Alabama and Oregon in the process.