COLUMBUS — As Ohio State prepares for Saturday's matchup against USC, much of the attention remains focused on which quarterback will replace the injured Julian Sayin. Luke Fahey entered the bye week as the favorite, but Tavien St. Clair has been given another opportunity to compete for the starting job.
The decision will be paramount to Ohio State's championship hopes. And while fans and reporters can compare arm strength, accuracy, mobility, and limited game statistics, there is another factor that could ultimately help determine who starts.
Which quarterback has earned the confidence of his teammates?
It's a question outsiders cannot answer with any certainty, but one Ryan Day and his coaching staff are in a position to evaluate. When a quarterback steps into the huddle, the other ten players need to believe he can lead them.
That confidence isn't earned by having the strongest arm or being the most highly recruited player. It's built during practices, workouts, film sessions, and the countless interactions that take place away from the public eye.
Fahey, a true freshman, moved ahead of St. Clair during the season and was the quarterback Day turned to when Sayin went down against Indiana. St. Clair, a sophomore and former five-star recruit, has the physical tools to compete for the job, but those abilities alone won't necessarily determine whether he's the right quarterback for this team.
Day has said the Buckeyes will start whichever player gives them the best chance to win. But he has also acknowledged that the opinions of the players themselves are part of the evaluation.
During his October 22 appearance on The Ryan Day Show on 97.1 The Fan, Day explained that the coaching staff considers feedback from players because they're the ones sharing the huddle with the quarterbacks.
That may be one of the most revealing parts of the competition.
Does the offensive line trust one quarterback more than the other? Do the receivers feel more comfortable with Fahey's timing or St. Clair's ability to extend plays? When something goes wrong at practice, which player responds in a way that gives everyone else confidence?
Those are things that don't show up on a stat sheet, and they aren't necessarily apparent to anyone watching from outside the program.
None of that means the most popular player should start. The decision still has to come down to who gives Ohio State the best chance to execute its offense and win football games. But leadership and the confidence of teammates are part of what makes a quarterback effective, especially when a team is in the heat of battle.
The Buckeyes are 6-1 and remain in contention for both the Big Ten championship and the College Football Playoff. With USC, Oregon, and Michigan among the remaining opponents, the new starter won't have much time to get comfortable.
The challenge for Day isn't simply identifying the quarterback with the most talent. It's identifying the player who can step into Sayin's place and convince the other ten players in the huddle that they can still accomplish everything they set out to do.
And when Saturday arrives, that may be the most important difference between the two candidates.
