Northwestern Set to Face Ohio State's Freshman QB Luke Fahey

Ohio State is sticking with freshman quarterback Luke Fahey as its starter for Saturday’s matchup against Northwestern, coach Ryan Day announced Tuesday. With two starts already under his belt, Fahey will give the Wildcats a clear picture of what to expect as they prepare for a difficult road test against the Buckeyes.

Fahey took over as Ohio State’s starter after Julian Sayin suffered a season-ending injury. He has started the team’s last two games, both losses against USC and Oregon. Despite going 0-2 in those starts, Fahey has shown the ability to move the ball through the air and put up impressive numbers for a young quarterback.

In his first two starts, Fahey has thrown for 620 yards, three touchdowns and one interception while completing 64.8% of his passes. He threw for 260 yards and a touchdown against USC before following that performance with 360 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception against Oregon.

Those performances give Northwestern plenty of film to study heading into the weekend. The Wildcats have an opportunity to identify Fahey’s tendencies, understand how Ohio State uses him and find ways to disrupt the Buckeyes’ offensive rhythm.

However, Northwestern cannot afford to overlook the freshman because of Ohio State’s recent results. Fahey is still a talented quarterback playing behind one of the most talented rosters in the country.

His passing numbers against Oregon showed that he can produce, and giving him time and space to operate could make for a long afternoon for the Wildcats’ defense.

One of Northwestern’s biggest priorities should be generating pressure up front. Making Fahey uncomfortable, forcing him to get rid of the football quickly and limiting his time to go through his progressions could be key to slowing down Ohio State’s offense. 

The Wildcats also need to remain disciplined in the secondary and avoid giving up easy completions or explosive plays when Fahey finds his receivers.

Northwestern’s defense will have to do more than simply pressure the quarterback, though. It needs to be consistent on early downs, limit Ohio State’s ability to establish its offense and find ways to get off the field on third down. Allowing the Buckeyes to sustain long drives would put even more pressure on a Northwestern offense that needs to find consistency of its own.

Playing at Ohio Stadium adds another challenge. The Buckeyes will have their home crowd behind them, and Northwestern will need to handle the environment while staying disciplined and communicating effectively throughout the game.

With Fahey officially remaining the starter, Northwestern knows who it will be preparing for. The Wildcats have two games of film to learn from, but they will need to turn that preparation into pressure and execution on Saturday if they hope to leave Columbus with a win.