Ohio State Football: 3 questions that need answers for 2020

As Ohio State football’s playoff run ends controversially, there are many questions that need answers looking ahead to 2020.

Despite the excruciatingly disappointing and controversial loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, the 13-1 Buckeyes had a wildly successful first season under Ryan Day.

Per Cleveland.com, Ohio State was not even picked to win the Big Ten East by conference media members. Instead, the Buckeyes ran roughshod through the Big Ten, winning their first 13 games by a whopping 36.2 points on average, most since 2013 Florida State’s 41.8 average margin of victory, according to teamrankings.com.

Looking ahead to 2020, surefire top-10 picks Chase Young and Jeffrey Okudah will certainly forgo their senior seasons for the 2020 NFL Draft. The interior defensive line will lose three key seniors in Davon Hamilton, Jashon Cornell and Robert Landers. Important secondary members Damon Arnette and Jordan Fuller as well as Ohio State’s career reception leader K.J. Hill and linebacker Malik Harrison will all graduate.

But star quarterback Justin Fields will be back, and it seems the core of Ohio State’s offensive line will be as well. The wide outs will be a strength with leading receiver Chris Olave returning as well as the freaky rising sophomore Garrett Wilson. Newcomers like Julian Fleming and Jaxon Smith-Njigba should contribute immediately as part of an elite 2020 class of incoming freshmen receivers.

Running back J.K. Dobbins has declared for the NFL Draft, but the Buckeyes appear to have an answer in the backfield in rising redshirt sophomore Master Teague. Although Teague did not look great in the Fiesta Bowl while Dobbins was hobbled with an ankle injury, he was effective most of the season, rushing for 789 yards in 2019, good for seventh in the Big Ten — as a backup.

While the Bucks stand to lose a lot, there are certainly reasons to be optimistic about 2020. There are questions to answer on the defense and in the coaching staff, however.