By Jim Keller

Ohio State coach Luke Fickell needs to find some offense or he may be facing 4th-and-long in regards to his future with the storied program.

His search continues Saturday when the unranked Buckeyes try to get their anemic offense off the ground when they travel to Lincoln for the first time ever for a nationally televised showdown with No. 14 Nebraska.

Fickell was hired on an interim basis after Jim Tressel was fired in the offseason due to violating NCAA rules. He has had a rough time replacing star quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who was suspended five games for accepting improper benefits before withdrawing from school when more allegations were uncovered this summer.

Ohio State (3-2) is coming off a 10-7 loss at home to Michigan State last week. The Buckeyes managed just 178 total yards - fewest in Big Ten play in seven years.

Against the Spartans, embattled quarterbacks Braxton Miller and Joe Bauserman threw for a total of 143 yards while spending most of the afternoon running for their lives. The duo was sacked a combined nine times, and running backs Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde often faced eight-man fronts and found running room hard to find.

Ohio State didn't find the end zone until the final seconds, just avoiding a second game this season without a touchdown. The Buckeyes hadn't been held without a TD since the 2008 season.

Miller, a true freshman who looked good in the spring game, played the majority of the game, completing just 5-of-10 passes for 56 yards with an interception, and he also made some poor decisions.

Fickell is sticking with Miller against 4-1 Nebraska instead of Bauserman, who engineered the Buckeyes only scoring drive and played the majority of the first three games this season.

And Fickell doesn't want his prized freshman looking over his shoulder.

"Braxton is the guy that right now is our starting quarterback, and you know, I would think hook wise, we don't want him to ever think that," Fickell said. And I think it just came into a situation for what they were doing and what we needed to do at the time. We made the change, but you know, I wouldn't say that there's hook we're looking for if it doesn't happen in the first couple series or whatever, we are going to change, no.

"We just have to know and we have to get better, and we have to be able to put them in some situations. And ultimately, we have got to make a couple of plays, because you know, I mean, whether you're 18 years old or you're 22 years old, if you get some emotion and you get some adrenaline and you get a few good things that happen to you, sometimes that ball begins to roll a little bit more. "

Miller has completed 20-of-39 passes this season for 291 yards with three TD and two picks. He has run 39 times for 118 yards. Bauserman has completed 39-of-76 throws for 479 yards with five TDs and no picks. However, the senior's lack of mobility was on display Saturday as he was sacked five times in the final period.

One trend working in Ohio State's favor is Nebraska's poorous defense. The Cornhuskers yield 377 yards and 27 points per game.

Both quarterbacks will still be without running back Dan Herron and receiver DeVier Posey, who each had their five-game suspensions for taking improper benefits extended. In addition, starting wideout Verlon Reed was injured last week and is likely out for the season with a knee injury, and Hall is banged up as well.

On the bright side, talented offensive tackle Mike Adams returns from his five-game suspension; defensive end Solomon Thomas, who made the climatic interception in the Sugar Bowl win over Arkansas, is set to return from injury; and wideout Corey Brown, who has been out since Week 2 with a sprained ankle, is set to return as well.

"We went with our three points of wisdom from John Wooden,'" Fickell said earlier this week. "That's 'Don't whine. Don't complain. Don't make excuses.'

"That's what we've got to be able to do, and it starts from the top down with all of us coaches. Is it a kick? Is it something that's not easy? Yeah. We all feel that way. But we've also got to look at the things we are getting."

The offensive struggles have overshadowed another fine defensive unit in Columbus.

The Buckeyes have yielded just 128 TDs in 81 games since 2005, fewest in the FBS, and just six 100-yard rushers since 2007 - third best in FBS.

But that defense will be tested by the Cornhuskers, who averaged over 42 points per game in their first four games this season - all wins - before getting pounded 48-17 in Madison last week in their Big Ten debut against Wisconsin.

Quarterback Taylor Martinez is not an accurate passer, but has run for 482 yards and eight TD to go with four passing scores through the air.

"Taylor Martinez is explosive and has big play capability, " senior linebacker Andy Sweat said. "I think the biggest key to success against them is to not let them get started offensively and watching film we saw that Wisconsin was able to do that last weekend with success."

Rex Burkhead has run for 516 yards, eight TDs and a 6.4-yard average.

The Buckeyes are a rare double-digit underdog Saturday.

 

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Ohio State Buckeyes Search for Offense in First Trip to Nebraska