Ohio State Blows 21-Point Lead, Loses to Nebraska

Leading Nebraska 27 - 6 after an early third-quarter touchdown, Ohio State looked on the verge of blowing the Cornhuskers out only a week after an embarrassing 10-7 loss to Michigan State, a game in which the Buckeye offense managed 178 yards, an abysmal 2.8 yards per play.

And then Braxton Miller hobbled off the field between two trainers, wincing in pain as his right leg touched the ground. Miller would try walking on the sideline, but he would never reenter the game after injuring his leg on a run, leaving Joe Bauserman to manage the suddenly dormant Ohio State offense.

What happened next matched the Michigan State horror-show but added a macabre twist, yanking the first-half's excitement from underneath Buckeye feet.

Bauserman proceeded to throw wobbles into stands and Nebraska hands, completing one pass out of ten and floating an interception to Stanley Jean-Baptiste, a converted wide receiver who had only practiced at cornerback for two weeks before tonight. Unlike Ohio State's wide receivers, Baptiste had no trouble corralling Bauserman's errant duck.

Coinciding with the offensive dysfunction, Ohio State's defense, which held Nebraska to 3.6 yards per play in the first half, stumbled over themselves and allowed a Husker resurgence. The Buckeyes surrendered 309 second-half yards, 198 rushing, and four touchdowns, blowing a 21-point Ohio State lead and completing the meltdown. Nebraska won 34-27, preserving its shot at a Big Ten championship and making history. Never before had the Cornhuskers come back from such a large deficit.

It wasn't all bad, though.

Following a heated week of criticism, the offensive staff responded with an improved gameplan, and the Buckeyes jumped to an early lead, out-gaining Nebraska by almost six yards per play at halftime. Embattled coordinator Jim Bollman began the first series in the Pistol formation, showcasing Miller's legs and guiding a 13-play, seven-minute opening field goal drive.

Numbers and Spacing, or How To Run An Offense

The Buckeyes made two big offensive adjustments, one rushing, one passing. Last weekend, Ohio State failed to account for a Michigan State defender on most run plays, leaving the backside open to run blitzes. Against Nebraska, the Buckeyes adjusted by changing their formation to account for that unblocked defender.

As Ross tweeted, the adjustment came in two parts. Ohio State set their formation's strength into the boundary, the short-side of the field, and then ran away from that side, breaking tradition. Without an unblocked backside defender, Ohio State's blockers matched Nebraska's defenders and found great success, rushing for 184 first-half yards.

The Spacing Concept

The pro-style deep passing game of a week ago also disappeared, replaced instead by simple passing routes that provided Braxton Miller quick reads.

To the right, you will see one passing combination Ohio State introduced tonight, spacing.  Using 3-step timing,  Miller follows a simple progression from left to right, from the spot route over the football, to the 6-yard hitch, to the 2-yard flat route. If the routes are covered, Miller can quickly decide to scramble away.

Tonight, Nebraska covered spacing well, but they failed to account for Miller's legs with this concept. With only one receiver on the backside, Nebraska had few defenders there, and Miller scrambled for sizable gains.

Originally a West Coast passing concept, spacing has been absorbed by spread offenses and become an integral part of most spread passing games. If Urban Meyer becomes Ohio State's next head coach, Miller will run spacing much more in his career.

It is likely that Stan Drayton Jr., who coached with Meyer at Florida, introduced the spacing concept, because it's never been included in a Bollman offense, at least to my memory.

A Few Thoughts Moving Forward

We saw progress and regression tonight. The offense improved until Bauserman entered, when, perhaps not coincidentally, the defense regressed. I don't know what caused the breakdown--  the youth, the lacking depth, or some other variable-- but the defensive implosion had more to do with the loss than Bauserman's ineptitude.

When Bauserman entered, Ohio State held a 14-point lead, a lead the defense squandered. Missed tackles, poor reads, and questionable effort led to this loss, and it's a certain type of loss we're unused to as Buckeye fans. It's also the type of loss that confirms what many are now accepting: Ohio State will have a new head coach next season.

I've been critical of Luke Fickell from his hiring onwards. He's made baffling personnel decisions, mismanaged the clock repeatedly, and failed to prepare his team for tough competition. Yet none of these issues are altogether surprising given the situation. Fickell's a 38-year old rookie head-coach receiving a baptism by fire at one of the most demanding coaching venues, regardless of sport.

The mistakes he's made should be expected of a first-time head coach but can't be accepted of an Ohio State head coach, a paradox that has created much angst. Whether this team were 6-0 or the actual 3-3, Fickell would not be the correct choice for Ohio State.

The pressures and expectations of a major college program -- recruiting, fundraising,  maintaining a consistent staff, and ultimately winning championships-- are too much to place on a rookie.  Fickell did a fine job keeping this team together after last weekend,  when many thought he would lose them, and from that he should take away a certain pride.

Next season, Ohio State will embark on a new era, and Fickell will probably not be involved. He should consider those implications now and enjoy the remaining games. This season is a wash, and he may never again don the scarlet and grey.