Ohio State quarterback Luke Fahey credits a whiteboard error for his rapid development

Ohio State quarterback Luke Fahey’s rise from a recruiting mishap to a starting role is being traced to a whiteboard mistake that occurred two years ago during a meeting with USC coaches. When asked to draw up a third-and-long play, Fahey sketched a curl-flat, which former high-school coach Chad Johnson called “the worst third-and-long call you could’ve made.”

Johnson said the error prompted him to give Fahey extra responsibilities, saying, "> I made him do board interviews all the time. Then in spring, I made him install the plays. ‘You tell everybody the coaching points. I’ll sit back here and make sure you don’t miss anything.’"

The former Mission Viejo standout was turned into an on-field offensive coordinator, running practices, helping with game plans and installing plays for teammates. By his senior year, he was allowed to adjust plays at the line of scrimmage, which Johnson believes demonstrated Fahey’s football intelligence.

Johnson observed Fahey’s progress during Ohio State’s spring practice, noting that while Julian Sayin grasped the offense’s details more quickly, Fahey was “grasping the offense” and keeping pace with the coaching staff’s installations.

Fahey eventually moved ahead of five-star recruit Tavien St. Clair to become the Buckeyes’ No. 2 quarterback. When Sayin suffered an injury with 7:38 left in the Oct. 17 game against Indiana, Fahey was thrust into a top-five matchup against the defending national champions. Johnson said, "> The reason why Luke is probably getting this opportunity is that he’s proven to the coaches that mentally he can be an extension of the offensive coordinator."

Now facing USC again, Fahey’s role is to manage the pro-style offense, process defensive looks and guide the team to the right plays, skills that Johnson attributes to the early whiteboard lesson. Johnson added, "> USC is going to be preparing for curl flats."