Ryan Day didn’t blame Luke Fahey for Ohio State loss, but QB raises red flags

Ryan Day didn't blame Luke Fahey for Ohio State loss, but QB raises red flags.

Key points

• USA TODAY Sports' Blake Toppmeyer explains why Ryan Day's track record of developing quarterbacks gives Ohio State reason for optimism despite Julian Sayin's injury.
• Yet even though Smith again led the Buckeyes with 10 receptions for 83 yards, his impact was minimal.
• Julian Sayin injury a 'significant blow' for Ohio State, but Ryan Day can overcome it.
• On paper, the Buckeyes shouldn't lose again with Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan remaining.
• For all the passes Ohio State's receivers dropped, Fahey created plenty of mistakes of his own.

LOS ANGELES – Luke Fahey's first college football start didn't go as planned, but his coach isn't putting the blame on him.

As the Buckeyes fell to Southern California 30-18 in one of their worst offensive performances of the season, the Ohio State quarterback struggled in his first full game replacing Julian Sayin. Ohio State didn't score a touchdown until the final two minutes and finished with its fewest points of the season. Fahey finished 21-for-38 for 260 yards and a touchdown pass. Winners, losers: Nebraska, USC headline college football Week 9.

Mendoza: Lincoln Riley was left for dead at USC. Then he stunned Ohio State.

When a new quarterback can't replicate the success of his predecessor, questions are inevitable regarding whether the change under center could derail a team's season. But that's not how Buckeyes coach Ryan Day saw it.

While defending his freshman quarterback, instead, Day spread the blame around, including to himself.

"I think for Luke, he competed. It wasn't perfect, but we had some major, enormous drops, and we weren't able to support him out there, " Day remarked.

"We weren't able – to me – to play well enough to support a young freshman quarterback who has had his first start on the road, " he afterwards went on.

While what Day remarked was true – a number of drops killed Ohio State's momentum and did no favors for a quarterback trying to fill Sayin's shoes – Fahey didn't exactly inspire confidence, either.

There has to be legitimate concern regarding how far this team can go without Sayin.

Sayin is out indefinitely, with a solid belief he's probable sidelined for at least the rest of the regular season. And Fahey's first go-around didn't provide much hope everything will go swimmingly without the incumbent starter.

He often looked flustered in the pocket, struggling to create quick reads and secure the ball to his receivers. His legs didn't support much, either. He was sacked twice and managed minimal gains on almost every rushing attempt. When he did obtain the ball out, a number of throws sailed beyond his receivers, giving them little chance to create a play. More than once, Fahey concluded a play with his hands on his hips or on his head in disbelief.

It naturally created sense for Fahey to lean heavily on Jeremiah Smith. Just obtain your best player the ball and let him do the rest.

Yet even though Smith again led the Buckeyes with 10 receptions for 83 yards, his impact was minimal. USC kept him in check for most of the night, with 36 of those yards coming in the fourth quarter when Ohio State was already well behind and desperately trying to create it a game.

That's an ominous sign. If you're still getting Smith the ball and he's not changing the game, you're in trouble. Not only does that damage Smith's chances of winning the Heisman Trophy, but it hurts Ohio State's chances of winning anything.

Now at 6-2, Ohio State has almost no margin for error. Another loss would push the season dangerously close to failure.

On paper, the Buckeyes shouldn't lose again with Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan remaining. But after watching the offense crumble against a suspect USC defense, what inspires confidence this was merely a one-off? And how much worse could things obtain if highly touted sophomore Tavien St. Clair is forced into the QB1 role and isn't ready? "Just way too many mistakes, " Day remarked.

It further illustrates just how valuable backup quarterbacks can be. Oregon lost Dante Moore and watched its season unravel. Michigan is rolling with Tommy Carr and still scraping by. UCLA lost Nico Iamaleava, and while Ty Dieffenbach has kept the Bruins undefeated, the offense has been sluggish.

If Halloween was any indication, Ohio State could be next on death row if Fahey can't step up. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

In short, ryan Day didnt blame Luke Fahey for Ohio State loss, but QB is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.