Five Questions (Asked): Nebraska

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Nebraska game is finally upon us, and the game may offer the first look at the 2019 Buckeyes responding to adversity. Ryan Day and Ohio State have rolled through the first third of the season, outscoring opponents 214-36.

As the Buckeyes roll into Lincoln, Nebraska, they will be faced with a new slate of obstacles that they will either respond to positively or negatively. In this week’s installment of five questions, let’s take a look at five of the most intriguing questions going into the bout with the Cornhuskers. Make sure to check back for the answers this Sunday.

The most dangerous offense is one that is well balanced and provides the defense with no clear plan to attack it. Through the first four games of the season, Ohio State’s offense has been just that. The Buckeyes have thrown for 1,058 yards and rushed for 1,040 yards. This balance is further shown through the distribution of touchdowns: 16 touchdowns through the air and 13 touchdowns on the ground.

At this point last season, the Buckeyes had already begun to rely on their passing attack. After four games, the 2018 Buckeyes had thrown for 528 more yards than they had rushed for over that stretch. This imbalance reared its ugly head when they traveled to Purdue and were forced to accumulate 86 percent of their yards gained through the air in a blowout loss.

When a team travels into a hostile environment, they tend to fall back on what they do best. They rely on what is comfortable, but the 2019 Buckeyes have not showed an offensive preference so far this season. We are yet to see if Day will rely on one aspect of the offense over another when the Buckeyes have their backs against the wall.

The Buckeyes will enter the game as heavy favorites over the Cornhuskers. Part of the reason the game is such a large spread is the maturity of Justin Fields. The sophomore quarterback has only turned the ball over one time this season, and he has shown an ability to make the smart decisions and live to fight another day.

Day has commended Fields and his willingness to throw the ball away when there is nothing there. In order for Ohio State to not give Nebraska momentum, Fields, who has not thrown a single interception in 134 passes as a collegiate quarterback, will need to continue taking care of the football.

In Ohio State’s loss to Iowa two years ago, turnovers plagued the Buckeyes in the loss. A total of four interceptions would be thrown by J.T. Barrett, as Ohio State would fall 55-24. Fields must avoid a similar fate when he and the Buckeyes hit the road.

The Ohio State defense will face the toughest quarterback to date when they line up across from Adrian Martinez. One could even argue this will be the toughest quarterback the Buckeyes will play against until the postseason. Martinez has accounted for seven passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns in the last three games.

What makes Martinez so dynamic is his ability to utilize his legs. He has averaged 76 yards on the ground in the last three games, and this will give the Buckeye defense an extra thing to worry about on Saturday. I expect the Ohio State linebackers to be tuned into what Martinez is doing, and the athleticism of the unit will truly be tested.

Ohio State must make open-field tackles in order to contain Martinez, so this will be the first test to see how dominant this defense really is. It will be interesting to see how the defensive line tries to keep Martinez in the pocket, and the key will be eliminating any game-altering plays.

Ohio State was plagued by penalties last season, and so far this season, Day has minimized the mistakes. The Buckeyes hurt themselves a lot last season with holding penalties and false starts. This has a very minimal effect in a blowout game, but against the tougher opponents, discipline can carry the day.

In 2018, the Ohio State offense was flagged over eight times a game for 75.4 yards a game. The offense under Day has cut this number down to five penalties a game for only 46 yards a game.

The start has been impressive for the Buckeyes, but the communication between the offensive line and quarterback will be challenged in a loud environment. The offense’s rhythm will depend on the players’ ability to limit penalties and keep the offense on schedule.

For three consecutive weeks, the Ohio State special teams has delivered a blocked kick in the form of either a blocked punt or blocked field goal. Chase Young was able to get his hand on a field goal attempt in the game against Cincinnati, and Chris Olave and Sevyn Banks have each blocked a punt since Young’s big play.

Matt Barnes will continue to try and gain an advantage on special teams, and a big play could alter the momentum of the game against Nebraska. Day has emphasized the importance of the special teams, and he acknowledged that the unit has won the Buckeyes games in the past.

Drue Chrisman has been consistently solid for the Buckeyes, and winning the field position battle will help Ohio State’s defense go up against a talented quarterback like Martinez. If the Buckeyes are forced to kick field goals, it will be interesting to see how Blake Haubeil fares kicking in a stressful environment. Haubeil has kicked only two field goals on the season.