100 Teams in 100 Days: Luke Fickell Becomes Ohio State's 23rd Head Coach in 2011

"I can’t tell you how humbled I am to stand here as the coach of The Ohio State University,” Fickell said at his first press conference. “The 2011 Buckeyes will not be compared or contrasted to previous years. It will be about respect, toughness and being men of action. We have a goal to lead the nation in three categories: effort, turnovers and toughness.”

The first year head coach needed replacements for seven defensive and four offensive starters. The void filled by the absence of Terrelle Pryor was the biggest concern heading into the season. Frontrunners to step in for the quarterback who went 31–4 as a starter were Joe Bauserman, Kenny Guiton and a freshman from Huber Heights and Wayne High School named Braxton Miller.

The 2011 team also had to find capable starters for DeVier Posey, Dan Herron, Mike Adams and Solomon Thomas. Each was suspended for the first five games for their roles in "Tattoo-gate." The NCAA eventually suspended Posey five more games in October for taking money from a booster during a summer job.

Games of Note

September 17th • Miami • Sun Life Stadium
Lamar Miller ran for 54 yards on Miami's first play from scrimmage, setting the tone for the game. The Hurricanes outgained the 17th-ranked Buckeyes 363-209 in total yards, as Miller rushed for 184 yards and Jacory Harris completed 16 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

Ohio State's offense turned one-dimensional as Bauserman finished 2-of-14 passing for 13 yards. Miller was 2-for-4, but threw an interception and lost a fumble in the 24-6 loss. To put in perspective, Maryland threw for 348 yards and defeated Miami 32-24 in the season opener. 

The Buckeyes advanced into the red zone twice but had to settle for Drew Basil field goals of 22 and 24 yards.

"We've got to do a better job all around," Fickell said. "They made a lot more plays than we did and ultimately that's what the game came down to."

This was Ohio State's first road loss to an unranked nonconference opponent since Pittsburgh won 42-10 on the same date in 1988. The loss also knocked Ohio State out of the AP Poll for the first time since 2004.

October 8th • #14 Nebraska • Memorial Stadium
A muggy 70-degree evening was the setting for what turned into Nebraska's largest comeback victory in its history. 

Ohio State led 20-6 at halftime and extended the lead to 27-6 early in the third period. The Buckeyes did not attempt a pass attempt in the second quarter, instead racking up 178 rushing yards in the first half. Sixty-three of those yards came on Hyde's touchdown run just over two minutes into the second. 

The game changed when Miller had to leave the game due to a sprained right ankle. Bauserman entered and the offense's productivity all but ceased. Bauserman only completed 1-of-10 passes for 13 yards and threw an interception. 

The Cornhuskers overcame the 21-point deficit with the running of Rex Burkhead and the dual-threat of Taylor Martinez. Burkhead rushed for 119 yards and a score, and also had five catches for 59 yards and a touchdown. Martinez threw for 191 yards, two touchdowns and added 102 yards and a touchdown on the ground. 

Nebraska scored two touchdowns over a five-minute span in the fourth quarter to win the game. Following Martinez's 30-yard touchdown pass to Burkhead, Bauserman threw an interception to Stanley Jean-Baptiste at the Cornhuskers' 22-yard line. A total of 78 yards and four plays later Burkhead ran in from 17 yards out for the game-winning touchdown.

Martinez left the field with cheers, a stark difference to the jeers he heard as went into the locker room at halftime.

"He kept fighting," Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said. "He led the team, and I was proud of how we played. That's why he's the starting quarterback right now."

The historic 34-27 loss took its toll on the Buckeyes. 

"I've never been a part of anything like that," linebacker Andrew Sweat said. "I don't know what the magical answer is. We just didn't get the job done. It's disheartening to give up that many points and give up a win when it was so close."

October 29th • No. 15 Wisconsin • Ohio Stadium
Although Ohio State started 0–2 in league play, the team still had a chance to make the conference championship game. If the Buckeyes defeated Wisconsin, won its remaining games and Penn State lost to Nebraska, Fickell's team would go to Indianapolis.

Those plans seemed in doubt as Wisconsin had a 7-3 edge at halftime, but the second half turned into an offensive shootout.

The Buckeyes built a 12-point lead after two touchdown runs by Miller, a rushing score by Hall and a Basil field goal. Miller's second touchdown came with 4:39 remaining, and the fans and team sensed the game was in hand. 

That ended up premature with Russell Wilson behind center for the Badgers.

A recap of the dramatic finish from The Columbus Dispatch:

But then an Ohio State defense that had been so stout against the potent Badgers collapsed. Wisconsin scored touchdowns on consecutive four-play drives of 66 and 68 yards to take a 29-26 lead.

On the latter score, Jared Abbrederis somehow got wide open behind the Buckeyes defense for a 49-yard touchdown with 1:18 left.

A crowd that had been raucous all night went stone quiet. The Buckeyes have hardly been a quick-strike offense this season, and now that was required.

Ohio State got a lift when Jordan Hall returned the ensuing kickoff 42 yards to the Buckeyes’ 48. 

Daniel Herron got a first down at the Wisconsin 40 with 30 seconds left. Then came Miller’s fateful throw.

[...]

Braxton Miller rolled right, skirting dangerously close to the line of scrimmage.

He could run, as he had done so effectively all night, and possibly get into field-goal range. But he looked downfield, and he saw fellow freshman Devin Smith impossibly alone in the end zone.

And thus, the first signature play of Miller’s young career and of the Buckeyes’ season was born.

Smith caught the 40-yard pass for the winning touchdown in Ohio State’s 33-29 victory over No. 15 Wisconsin.

Before the game, many fans wanted Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith to put a postseason ban on the 2011 team. By enacting the ban for this season, the thought was the 2012 team would not get punished. The dramatic victory over Wisconsin gave the Buckeyes an outside chance at a Big Ten title. Smith decided to roll the dice and leave any possible punishment in the hands of the NCAA.

November 26th • #15 • Michigan Stadium
In his first matchup against Michigan as Ohio State's head coach, Fickell battled another rookie to The Game. The Wolverines hired Brady Hoke to replace Rich Rodriguez and he had the Maize and Blue humming with a 9–2 record. The majority of the 114,132 in Michigan Stadium were salivating for the home team to end the seven-game losing streak to the Buckeyes.

The 108th game in the rivalry featured two dual-threat quarterbacks. At this point in their careers, Denard Robinson and Miller were known more for their running and scrambling ability than their passing prowess. Miller put a big dent in that thinking early in the first quarter.

On this afternoon, Miller passed for a career-high 235 yards, two touchdowns. He also rushed for 100 yards and a score. Unfortunately, the more experienced Robinson had the more impressive stats and more importantly the victory.

The Michigan quarterback ran for a game-high 170 yards and two touchdowns and completed 14-of-17 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns. Even with the impressive offensive performance, Ohio State still had a chance to win the game.

The Wolverines kicked a 43-yard field goal with 1:59 on the clock to increase their lead to 40-34. That left the Buckeyes with plenty of time to pull off the upset.

The end of the game according to CBS Sports:

The Buckeyes (6-6, 3-5) had the ball once more at their 20 with 1:59 left.

"I thought we had a chance," Miller said.

They did.

But Miller sailed a pass over Deviser Posey's head on what could've been a 76-yard TD, spiked the ball to stop the clock on third down with 45 seconds left -- because he said the coaches told him to -- then threw a loss-sealing interception to Courtney Avery.

"It's a weird feeling," Posey said. "We're not really used to it."

Michigan isn't used to beating the Buckeyes, igniting one of the most raucous celebrations anyone can remember in Ann Arbor, at least for seven years.

Robinson got the final snap cleanly, took a quick knee and set off a long, loud, maize-and-blue celebration.

After 2,900 days, Michigan ended Ohio State's seven-game winning streak against it.  

The positive news to come from the game was the assumption that Urban Meyer was going to be hired as the Buckeyes' 24th head coach. Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George believed Meyer's hiring was a guarantee because he was not at the game with ESPN. 

"I think it's pretty much set in stone," George said to reporters before the game. "There are rumors already about what he's signing for and who's coaching with him. After this game, the chatter is obviously going to get even louder and I think we'll know something definitely by Monday."

January 2nd • Florida • Gator Bowl
Following the Michigan loss, Smith announced that if 6–6 Ohio State was invited to a bowl game it would accept the invitation provided the NCAA did not prevent it. The Buckeyes received an invitation from the Gator Bowl, scheduled to play Florida.

In an interesting twist, two days after the loss to the Wolverines, Ohio State named Urban Meyer its 24th head coach on Nov. 28, 2011. Meyer said he did not intend to coach his new team in the Gator Bowl and let Fickell finish the year.

The 2012 Gator Bowl according to The Ohio State Team Guide:

Florida’s defense and special teams came up big in the Gator Bowl, recording six sacks and scoring twice as the Gators beat Ohio State 24-17.

Andre Debose returned a kickoff 99 yards - the longest scoring play in bowl
history - and Chris Rainey blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown.

The speedsters helped the Gators (7-6) avoid their first losing season since 1979 and pick up some much needed momentum after losing six of their previous eight games.

Ohio State (6-7) dropped four straight to finish below .500 for
the first time since 1988, and lost seven games for the first time
since 1897.

The trying season was over, but hope sprung eternal with the hiring of Meyer.

2011 Recap

• Luke Fickell wins his debut game with a 42-0 shutout of Akron. Carlos Hyde ran for 93 yards and averaged 4.9 yards per carry in his first start.  
• Toledo led 22-21 early in the third quarter. Hyde's 2-yard touchdown run with 3:17 left in the third period gave No. 15 Ohio State a 27-22 victory.  
• Miami never trailed and defeated the Buckeyes 24-6. Bradley Roby recorded his first career interception.
• Unranked Ohio State scored in every quarter and Jordan Hall amassed 231 all-purpose yards in the 37-17 win over Colorado. 
• Michigan State defeated the Buckeyes 10-7. Ohio State did not score until there were 10 seconds left in the game. This was the first win in Columbus for the Spartans since 1998.
• The Joe Bauserman pass chart is created as the Buckeyes blow a 21-point lead and lose 34-27 to Nebraska in Lincoln.
• Boom Herron rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown as Ohio State upset No. 16 Illinois in Memorial Stadium.
• Devin Smith caught a game-winning 40-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds left to help Ohio State defeat No. 15 Wisconsin.
• Boom Herron (141), Braxton Miller (105) and Carlos Hyde (105) all broke the century mark in rushing as the Buckeyes held off Indiana 34-20.
• Purdue defeated Ohio State 26-23 in overtime, the second straight loss for the Buckeyes in West Lafayette. John Simon recorded 11.0 tackles-for-loss over the last five games.
• Penn State rushed for 239 yards and defeated OSU 20-14. 
• Brady Hoke made his Michigan debut and for the first time since 2003, Ohio State lost to the Wolverines. Braxton Miller had 335 yards and three touchdowns in the loss.
• Florida beat the Buckeyes 24-17 in the Gator Bowl and Ohio State had its first losing season since 1988.
• Nobody was named an All-American. This was the first time since 1990 a Buckeye did not earn All-American honors.
• Mike Adams, DeVier Posey, Dan Herron and Nate Ebner were selected in the NFL Draft. 
• Ohio State started the season ranked No. 18, but finished unranked.

Ohio State's 2011 season fell apart after the win over Indiana. The team lost its final four games and finished with a losing record for the first time since 1988. Had Gene Smith given the .500 team a self-imposed bowl ban, the losing record would not have happened and the NCAA might not have taken action on the 2012 team.

On the bright side, the Buckeyes had their quarterback for the future and more importantly, Urban Meyer returned home.