COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 2020 Buckeyes are looking for leadership.

Coaches are able to create and relay the message, but it is up to the players and the leaders to buy into what the coaching staff is preaching. The Buckeyes will be losing the leadership of J.K. Dobbins, Chase Young, Jordan Fuller, and K.J. Hill heading into next season, so the need for players to step up is paramount.

“I think as we get going and we start to practice and go through work outs we want to find out who the new leaders are going to be,” Ryan Day said. “We lost some really good leaders and some guys who declared for the draft. Those were big leaders for us.”

It is the natural cycle of collegiate athletics: leadership comes from the more experienced players and then those players move on from the team after the season ends.

Before the 2019 season, the Buckeyes lost five of their seven captains from 2018. With Terry McLaurin, Parris Campbell, Johnnie Dixon, Isaiah Prince and Nick Bosa all departing, Ohio State was in need of some players to assume leadership roles.

In 2019, players were able to rise to the occasion, and the 2020 Buckeyes will not have a shortage of potential candidates. The Buckeyes will return captains Jonathon Cooper and Tuf Borland for next season, and captain C.J. Saunders could possibly return depending on how the redshirt process goes for him.

Beyond the already proven leaders, players like Justin Fields, Josh Myers, Justin Hilliard and Pete Werner could potentially fill some of the spots left by last year’s leadership.

“I'm interested to see how our guys work in the weight room with coach Mick [Marotti] and where is the leadership headed,” Day said. “A lot of things come into play.”

No matter who rises to the occasion, Day and the Buckeyes will find their leaders for the 2020 campaign. After a sour ending to the 2019 season, strong leadership could go a long way in driving the team to another playoff berth.

Ohio State will have the talent to avenge past season’s Fiesta Bowl loss, but will it have strong enough guidance to inspire high level execution and focus from the opening game through the dropping of confetti in Miami?

“And at the end of the day it's going to come down to our leadership and how our guys lead and how hungry and accountable our guys are,” Day said.