I cut my lawn at 1 inch. I purchased small corn stocks and planted each with a small amount of vegetable fertilizer in each hole. Many of the ears of corn had a large amount of underdeveloped corn sections along with mature corn on the same stock. Also, some of the ears of corn developed without any outer covering, and they were small with just a few kernels that matured. It sounds like the plants went through transplanting shock.
Corn is one of the many vegetables that do best when seeded directly into their permanent spot.
There is no advantage to buying corn starts. I would highly recommend you start your corn from seed next year, and also go light on the fertilizer at planting time. On your Sat. We are particularly troubled with deer attacking a large Rose garden. Unfortunately the formula was never mentioned.