COLUMBUS — An aura of vigor was in the air Friday morning as the Ohio State football team stepped into the moist, morning air for its first official practice of the 2019 campaign.

With a squad awash with newcomers, first-year head coach Ryan Day observed the proceedings outside the refurbished “Woody” with a sense of pride as 51 letterwinners embarked on what they hope will be a four-plus month journey toward the program’s ninth national championship.

“There is a lot at stake,” said junior running back J.K. Dobbins, who’s coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing campaigns. “My main goal is to win a national championship. I feel I am the best running back in the nation and I have to prove that. I feel everything is coming together at the right time.”

The Buckeyes opened camp fifth in the first preseason poll, but Day was quick to pump the brakes, pointing out nothing’s been accomplished yet.

“Truth be told, we haven’t done anything,” said Day, who arrived for the first workout at 6 a.m. “Like I said, we’ve got to prove it. What really matters is what it is at the end of the year. We’ve got to do it. We’ve got to prove that we’re the best team in the country. That’s what we’re going about the business of doing every day.”

Lots of eyes were on Dobbins as members of the media got a few moments to watch an early portion of the team’s nearly three-hour workout. There’s no question he’ll be the focal point of Ohio State’s offense, especially with his backfield mate from a year ago Mike Weber now in the NFL, along with quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Three of the team’s top four receivers are also gone, leaving K.J. Hill, Binjimen Victor and Austin Mack filling the void.

Dobbins is a proven commodity. For Day and his staff, which is is also littered with plenty of new faces, their challenge to find the players willing to jump in behind him.

“Someone is going to have to step up,” Day stressed. “We’re not going to just put J.K. out there like that. One of those guys has to step up. Who is is going to be? Who gets the reps, the backup reps? It will be dependent on the preseason.”

Will it be Demario McCall? Master Teague? Marcus Crowley? Time will tell, Day said. But, that’s what preseason is for.

“It’s every day we’ve got to go,” he said. “It’s not going to be done Week 1, Week 2, Week 3.”

Day feels the same way about the quarterback position. Justin Fields, a highly-touted transfer from the University of Georgia, figures to be the leader for the job with four weeks remaining until the Buckeyes open at home against Florida Atlantic. Day, though, prefers to get all of his QB candidates plenty of reps before making a concrete decision.

“Once you practice, anything could come up,” said Day, who admitted Friday to spending most of his first practice eyeing the signalcallers.

“A guy could step off the curb tomorrow. You don’t know. You have to get as many guys ready to roll as you can.”

Day, 3-0 as interim head coach in Urban Meyer’s absence in 2018, feels the same way about all the other positions, which is why he treats the first few practices as a feeling out period, of sorts.

“This time of year you’re looking to develop chemistry and leadership,” he said. “You’re looking to develop an understanding in executing situational football as we get into preseason camp.

“Good practice. A lot of energy early on. Just have to sustain it day in and day out.”