He may not have been the highest-ranked recruit in Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class, but true freshman quarterback Luke Fahey is off to a great start in fall camp.
Fahey became an “official” member of the team on Saturday when he had his black stripe removed.
The 5-11, 206-pound three-star was the No. 586-ranked player in the class of 2026, the No. 35 quarterback and the No. 47-ranked player from California.
Fahey wasn’t expected to earn much playing time in his true freshman season behind more experienced players such as returning starter Julian Sayin, sophomore Tavien St. Clair, or former Maryland transfer Justyn Martin, but according to Day, the true freshman is making a push for the backup quarterback spot behind Sayin.
“He’s been doing a great job,” Day said of Fahey during his press conference on Saturday. “He’s putting a lot of pressure on Tavien. He really is. He’s been competing. He’s been making plays. We’ll see how he grades out. (Quarterbacks Coach Billy) Fessler grades everything. That’s been exciting to see him come in with a certain work ethic, run the offense at a pretty high level. We’ll see how the rest of the camp plays out, but it is good to see him kind of step in and push Tavien.”
Fahey had a prolific high school career. As a senior at Mission Viejo High School, Fahey threw for 3,199 yards and 25 touchdowns. He threw for over 7,000 yards during his high school career.
St. Clair, a 6-4, 235-pound quarterback, was a five-star out of high school and, considering he is a year older than Fahey, is likely still the favorite to be the backup behind Sayin. Still, Fahey is clearly trending in the right direction, with the removal of his black stripe indicating he may be able to get on the field in his first season as a Buckeye.
