Ohio State Football: Breaking down the Nebraska Cornhuskers

Offense

Any time a team can return its leading passer and rusher, the offense is in good hands. However, QB Adrian Martinez is anything but consistent as a passer, going from 2,617 passing yards, 17 TDs, and 8 INTs as a true freshman in 2018, to just 1,956 yards, 10 TDs, and 9 INTs in 2019.

Against a relatively inexperienced Ohio State secondary (besides Shaun Wade), Martinez may be able to find receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, TE Jack Stoll and RB Dedrick Mills out of the backfield, but his inconsistencies could come back to bite him against the Buckeyes.

In that receiving core, production came mostly from now-departed J.D. Spielman, who caught 49 passes for 898 yards and 5 TDs. Robinson and Stoll were next, with 453 and 234 receiving yards. Mills was fifth with just 123 receiving yards (Ohio State’s fifth-most receiving yards were 361 for Austin Mack).

However, where both Martinez, Mills, and even Robinson hurt defenses more was on the ground, where they combined for 1,711 yards and 20 TDs. While the passing game ranked ninth in the Big Ten with 212.6 yards per game, the run game ranked third with 203.3 yards per game.

With a true hybrid WR-RB in Robinson, a dependable ground game, and an experienced offensive line (4 of 5 starters return), the Nebraska offense could keep the game close. They will have their hands full to make up for a weaker defense that is up against one of the best offenses in college football.

Special Teams

On special teams, the Cornhuskers were set in punting (senior Isaac Armstrong had 59 punts for 2,411 yards), but the place-kicking game was a mess. Six different kickers attempted field goals, the team collectively going 12/20 while also missing two extra points. This year’s projected starter, Lane McCallum, was perfect on extra points (10) but was 3/5 on field goals. (William Przystup will replace Armstrong in punting duties.)

In the return game, Robinson was once again relied upon, returning 11 kickoffs for 236 yards, with an average of 21.5 yards per return. On punts, Spielman took 14 of 16 punts returned by the Cornhuskers, for 112 yards in total and a touchdown against South Alabama. Avoiding that threat with Spielman gone will be a plus for Ohio State’s special teams unit.

Wrapping up the Cornhuskers, their offense could keep them in the game for a little while, but the Ohio State offense will be too much for a defense that gave up 388.8 yards per game.