COLUMBUS(AP) — While thousands of fans are pointing fingers at the quarterbacks, Ohio State interim coach Luke Fickell believes the blame has to be spread across his entire roster for the Buckeyes’ embarrassing loss at Miami.

In one of the worst offensive showings ever at Ohio State (2-1), true freshman Braxton Miller and fifth-year senior Joe Bauserman appeared lost. They combined to complete just four passes — all to running backs — in 18 attempts for only 35 yards, with two turnovers in a 24-6 loss to the Hurricanes.

Fickell and his staff will assess the situation this week.

“We have an idea of what’s going to happen but until we see them compete in practice and see how guys handle situations and roles and different things like that, we’re not going to make a complete judgment just yet,” Fickell said Tuesday.

It doesn’t matter to fullback Zach Boren who gets the job, so long as they do the job.

“Whoever is out there we’re going to support and we’re pushing for them,” he said. “We’re hoping whichever quarterback is out there they make the smart plays.”

Bauserman, the starter in the Buckeyes’ first three games, failed to get anything going against the Hurricanes. He hit on only 2 of 14 passes for a meager 13 yards.

Many fans on message boards and call-in shows are clamoring for Miller to get most of the snaps from center, but he didn’t do much to earn the job. He was just 2 for 4 passing — both completions coming in the final minute with the game all but over — for 22 yards. More worrisome than those numbers, however, is that he threw one interception, lost a fumble and recovered his own bobble another time.

Still, Fickell refused to lay the blame for the defeat solely at the feet of the QBs.

Speaking at his weekly news conference, he made a point of mentioning that the wide receivers didn’t get open and when they did, they dropped three or four passes. In addition, the defense gave up two early touchdowns that put the Buckeyes in a hole from which they never recovered.

“It all works together,” he said. “I know when you focus on just one single part of it, it becomes a lot more obvious. You look at the stats — what your completions are and how many yards you threw for — it becomes obvious. But sometimes if you do a better job (across) the board you’re going to have some more opportunities.”

The lack of productivity at quarterback is just one of the problems Fickell and his staff must wrestle with this week before Colorado (1-2), fresh from a 28-14 victory over rival Colorado State, comes in for its first appearance in Ohio Stadium since 1986.

The Buckeyes, Fickell said, must get their own house in order before even considering the Buffaloes. Ohio State is without three offensive starters (wide receiver DeVier Posey, tackle Mike Adams and top 2010 rusher Dan Herron) for another two games.

They were suspended for the first five games by the NCAA for accepting improper benefits from a Columbus tattoo-parlor owner.

That scandal led to 10-year coach Jim Tressel being pressured to resign for knowingly playing ineligible players last season. Soon after he stepped aside, star quarterback Terrelle Pryor gave up his final year to go to the NFL.

All of the above — the suspensions, the coaching transition, the loss of a three-year starter at quarterback — leads directly to the offensive problems the Buckeyes had on a muggy night in Miami.

“We can’t worry about what other people say,” defensive tackle John Simon said. “We know what’s going on on our team, inside the locker room. We’re a team. I can tell you everyone on the team has 100 percent faith in everybody. And that’s how it’s going to stay.”

Fickell, who is assured of only one year as head coach, warned that no one at Ohio State can afford to think about playing time or future job security. The emphasis, he said, must be on improvement now.

“That’s ultimately, the thing that I can’t do, the thing that us as coaches can’t do and every guy on the team can’t do is worry about what’s going to happen in three weeks, (or) worry about what’s going to happen in three months,” he said. “Whether you’re a senior, is it my draft status? Whether I’m hurt, oh no, can I get back? Is it a coach, what’s going to happen in three months? You know what? That will eat you alive.”

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Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rustymillerap.