COLUMBUS, Ohio -- During Ohio State’s first spring practice of 2021, redshirt-freshman tight end Joe Royer found himself with some room during a drill, and junior defensive end Zach Harrison charged toward him.

As Royer said he tried to cut Harrison off, the 6-foot-6 lineman met with the 6-foot-5 tight end and pushed Royer about 10 yards into the backfield. Royer said the play helped him realize he needed to get stronger, bulkier and just put his head down and get back to work in his blocking game.

“I was like ‘Wow.’ I realized how hard I have to go,” Royer said. “I definitely have to try to go harder than he is. After that, coach [offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Kevin] Wilson just kind of looked at me, gave me a face and was just telling me ‘This is how it is.’ The rest of the day was fine, I didn’t really let that bother me too much so I was still trying to compete out there.”

Royer, a Cincinnati native, has had a challenging adjustment to Ohio State and collegiate football. Like all of the freshmen football players like season, they didn’t experience a typical spring practice and summer workouts due to limitations from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Royer said he tried to get a feel for how Wilson and strength coach Mickey Marortti were in the weight room and on the football field, and that summer 2020 was tough.

“Coming out of high school, I was kind of always just show up and do my thing and be successful. Coming here, definitely had to work on many different things, like physically, mentally, spiritually, getting mind, body and soul right,” Royer said. “My first couple months here I was kind of like all alone quarantined with COVID, so that was tough getting used to things when it’s not being normal.”

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Royer searched for guidance and mentorship from within his teammates, and found one in fellow tight end senior Jeremy Ruckert.

The pair had similar on-the-field experiences in their respective first years in the Ohio State program. Ruckert, who entered in 2018, caught one pass and played behind Luke Farrell his first season. Royer said Ruckert has been influential in his early development.

“Jeremy’s technically like my big brother, so I look up to him in a lot of ways. He always helps me through things,” Royer said. “He’s given me different ideas to help me gain weight, get stronger in the weight room, telling me what his meal plan is, what he prepares. That’s definitely helped. I look up to him; he’s been helping me through that.”

The Buckeyes ran 12-personnel groupings on offense frequently in 2020, often seeing Farrell and Ruckert helping block along the offensive line - or even sneak in a reception.

Wilson emphasized the importance of finding a No. 2 tight end similarly to the system ran last season. Royer’s name was mentioned.

“Joe Royer is gonna be a guy that needs to come on because if we can have a second tight end, even as good as Jaxon [Smith-Njigba] and [Jameson Williams], all the receivers are out there,” Wilson said March 19.

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Expected to take the lion’s share of reps at tight end heading into 2021, Ruckert said versatility within the position group “is going to be strong,” leaving defenses with a bit of conflict.

While Royer said his versatility rests more along the receiving-minded side, he’s more than eager to step up in any way that results in getting onto the field. The former three-star recruit caught 70 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a prep prospect, leaving some to wonder to what that may translate in the Big Ten.

Now entering his second-year, Royer is focused on soaking in all of the wisdom from within the Buckeyes tight-end room while making a name for himself.

“I’m trying to get on the field somehow, so trying to get on special teams as well,” Royer said. “I’d say I’m being more used as an H-back, more receiving tight end. Hopefully I can get in some snaps and like 12 [personnel] if Jeremy’s at Y or Cade [Stover], and kind of be more like the receiving guy.