BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Once quarterback Julian Sayin left the Indiana game injured in the fourth quarter, Ohio State had to put its offense in the hands of freshman Luke Fahey for the final 7:36.
"It's Fahey's time," Ohio State offensive lineman Luke Montgomery said. "We wouldn't have Fahey out there if we didn't have trust in him. For being a true freshman, he had to step into a top-five match like that, and I'm super proud of him."
No. 5 Ohio State held its fourth-quarter lead without its starting quarterback to defeat No. 4 Indiana 19-15 on Oct. 17 at Memorial Stadium.
The Buckeyes were ahead 19-15 when Indiana defensive lineman Mario Landino sacked Sayin, sending second-year starting quarterback to the locker room with an injury. Sayin had been sacked two times prior and was hit an additional two times.
Fahey replaced Sayin, despite having just around two quarters of experience from Ohio State's 50-plus point wins over Ball State and Kent State in nonconference play. In those two games, the 5-foot-11 California native went 9 for 11 for 203 yards.
"It's a tough spot for him to come into," Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. "I think it was moving fast for him there. So, we're trying to find him things that kind of calm him down a bit. ... But he's got confidence. He's got athletic ability. He's a competitive kid."
Fahey got off to a solid start, scrambling and sliding for 8 yards, drawing a late-hit penalty from Indiana linebacker Isaiah Jones on his first play.
"He has a certain moxie about him," Montgomery said. "When you have a moxie about you, you just have a confidence about yourself to go out there and play as he does. It doesn't surprise me where he's at."
Fahey had no other impactful moments the rest of his seven plays, going 0 for 2 and failing to secure another first down through two possessions. The run game offered little support, as running backs Bo Jackson and Isaiah West gained only 3 yards during that span.
But Fahey still felt "starstruck" about getting the opportunity to take the field against Indiana, according to Montgomery.
"When you put work in, especially at the quarterback position ... it's tough," Montgomery said. "All the preparation that goes into it, behind closed doors, and one guy's only out there. And for him to be a freshman, and to be the backup at Ohio State, like he is right now, and for him to come out there in a top-5 matchup, you dream about that."
What Jeremiah Smith told Luke Fahey about coming in as Ohio State's QB
Day said Sayin is likely to miss several weeks and suggested that Fahey will be the quarterback moving forward, including for the Buckeyes' road game against No. 15 USC on Oct. 31, after the bye week.
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who is in the hunt for this season's Heisman Trophy with 52 receptions and 984 receiving yards, made it clear to Fahey that the offense has trust in that decision.
"When we were on the sideline out there, I just told him. 'We've got you,' " Smith said. "Everybody's behind you. The o-line, the receivers, the running backs, everybody's behind you."
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State ready to back QB Luke Fahey after Julian Sayin injury