When you skimmed the box score following Ohio State's 62-3 thumping of Nebraska and noticed the Buckeyes failed to record a sack in their most dominant win of the season, anxiety may have crept through your veins.
It is a bit odd—Ohio State allowed only 204 total yards, stopped Nebraska on both of its 4th down attempts and picked off quarterbacks Tommy Armstrong Jr. and Ryker Fyfe once each and returned both for touchdowns. But a team with a fantastic defensive line rotation failed to bring either guy down behind the line of scrimmage on a pass play? That's a little odd, unless you are defensive coordinator Luke Fickell.
“Sometimes I say the most overrated stat is sacks but the reality is to squeeze that pocket and get a hand in the air, that ball was out in two seconds. Probably every single throw,” Fickell said on Monday. “That was a little bit of their game plan and we may have forced them to do that a little bit more and they put the challenge on the corners on the outside.”
“They took some shots on them. That was probably the most shots we've been challenged outside. It all works as a unit and as a group.”– Luke Fickell
Nebraska is among the nation's best at not allowing sacks—just six in nine games, tied for second-fewest in the country. That is a result of Armstrong's quick release and his ability to evade pressure, both of which happened against the Buckeyes before he left the game in the second quarter with a head injury.
Fyfe kept it going as the game wore on, chucking the ball down the field on the outside to test Ohio State's corners.
Those passes rarely, if ever, hit home. An early scoring outburst by Ohio State forced Nebraska's hand to throw it more but such a directive is part of its game plan; the Buckeyes welcome it. And their corners responded.
“They took some shots on them. That was probably the most shots we've been challenged outside,” Fickell said. “It all works as a unit and as a group.”
Fickell, Greg Schiano and Kerry Coombs elected to shift star Gareon Conley to the slot nickel spot on third down in place of Damon Arnette, who struggled against Northwestern's Austin Carr and at other points during the season. Marshon Lattimore and Denzel Ward remained on the outside.
Teams often do that—put their best receiver in the slot. It helps him get off Ohio State's press-man coverage since the wideout is technically lined up in the backfield and thus a few yards back from the defensive back.
The Buckeyes countered with Conley, arguably their best cover corner and one of three members in the secondary looked at as early-round NFL talents (Conley, Lattimore and safety Malik Hooker).
“Not that we wanted to get Arnette off but the reality is to give Gareon some opportunities maybe even to where guys take more shots at him,” Fickell said. “We believe he might be one of the best that we got so we might be able to put him a little bit closer to the ball and ask him to do some things that maybe he hasn't done out there because it's a little bit different. We think it gives us a little bit of an advantage.”
Coombs said last week he knew the Cornhuskers were going to challenge his corners and in order for Ohio State to win the game they needed to perform. They did, as Conley, Lattimore and Ward all graded out as champions.
Lattimore did not allow a catch against Nebraska.
“I love the entire unit right now,” Coombs said. “I think the development at this position is extraordinary. I think it's because we've had great players here.”
“Played at a very, very high level against a good offense,” Urban Meyer said.
Officials whistled Conley with one pass interference call in the first quarter, though it was questionable at best. Top Nebraska receiver Jordan Westerkamp made a terrific grab over Damon Webb and a pass intended for him got tipped and ended in the fortunate hands of Stanley Morgan Jr. Westerkamp finished with four catches for 51 yards. The team completed only 9-of-33 passes, three coming on the second drive of the game.
Lattimore and Conley each received credit for one pass break up. Ward received credit for three. Nebraska's quarterbacks kept slinging it but to no avail.
Ohio State put its corners on an island. Each one rose up and performed. That's why Fickell isn't losing sleep over his unit not recording a sack in a game the Buckeyes won by 59.
“You guys can look at it and say there's zero sacks, that might have been the most closing the pocket, squeezing the pocket and disrupting the pocket as we've had all year. What is that to show for?” Fickell said. “Think [the corners] made as many plays as they could. I don't think they got one caught on us on the outside there.”
