No. 3 Ohio State preparing for Julian Sayin to miss rest of regular season, 'doubtful' he will return after arm injury

Ryan Day is preparing for a world where Julian Sayin doesn't take the field again at all this season. 

The coach for No. 3 Ohio State confirmed Tuesday that his star quarterback is going to be out indefinitely after he went down with a right arm injury in their win over Indiana on Saturday. While he doesn't have a specific timeline for Sayin's return, it's "doubtful" that he will be able to play again in the regular season. 

"We're not going to put any timeline on his recovery, but he is out indefinitely. … Based on the nature of the injury, we are putting together a plan for him not being available for the regular season, and then also him not being available for the postseason," Day said, via the Delaware Gazette's Dillon Davis. "Based on that, if he's not able to return this fall, we'll put together a plan for that as well."

Sayin was hit hard from his right side as he went to throw the ball in the fourth quarter of the Buckeyes' 19-15 win at Indiana on Saturday. Sayin's throwing arm was pinned awkwardly against his body as he hit the ground, too. 

Sayin ran off to the locker room, and came back to the sideline in a sling. He didn't play the rest of the way.

Sayin went 15-of-29 for 235 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions before he left the game. Sayin has 2,007 passing yards and 19 touchdowns with just four interceptions through seven games this season, his third with the Buckeyes. He was a Heisman finalist last season, too, and finished in fourth in that race. 

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Luckily for the Buckeyes, they aren't in a rush to figure out their quarterback situation. They are off this week before a matchup against No. 19 USC in Los Angeles on Halloween, so they have some extra time. 

Sayin was replaced on Saturday by freshman quarterback Luke Fahey, though he didn't complete either of the two passes he attempted the rest of the way. Indiana had a look to win the game at the end, too, but Nick Marsh's go-ahead touchdown in the final seconds was ruled just out of bounds. 

Fahey was a three-star Rivals.com recruit out of high school. He has gone 9-of-13 for 203 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions so far this season, though Saturday was the first meaningful time he's spent on the field. The Buckeyes also have Tavien St. Clair, a sophomore who is a former five-star prospect. St. Clair will presumably back up Fahey against USC, should Day stick with Fahey as his starter.

Regardless of what plan Day and his staff put together, losing Sayin is a significant blow for the Buckeyes. Replacing him with several big games left on the schedule — including against Oregon, No. 24 Northwestern and Michigan to close out the regular season — and still finding a path to the postseason is not going to be easy.