From the moment Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau first entered Ohio State’s defensive line room, Zach Harrison was already preparing to pass them the torch.

“Since the second they got in, I’m trying to be an example for those guys and show them the right way to do things, show them how to be an Ohio State defensive lineman in the best way I can,” Harrison said.

As the Buckeyes prepare for Utah and prepare to wrap up the 2021 season and transition to 2022, Harrison sees both Sawyer and Tuimoloau “starting to get their feet under them.”

For Tuimoloau, it was a harder process.

The expectations for the freshman defensive end were high. He was a five-star, the highest-rated defensive player to sign with the Buckeyes in the modern recruiting era. But after signing July 4, coming into the program late, he still had to start from scratch.

To him, the expectations were nothing. It was all about earning trust from the program that took a chance on him, showing in practice that if the coaching staff put him out there, it can trust him to know what he is doing.

“It’s a different ballgame when one person doesn’t know what they are doing, especially at a young age. And it shows,” Tuimoloau said. “Just with the older dudes and Coach J, every single coach in this facility, they helped me get better and develop trust.”

Tuimoloau remembers the texts he received from his father, the encouragement: “There’s a reason you are here. God made you a path. Just trust in him.”

The freshman defensive lineman remembered to follow his father’s example and have a “faucet” mentality: being able to turn his mindset on and off.

“When you walk into the facility, it’s go time,” he said. “You have to work. You always have to do the extra work… the extra things that some people may not like. Sometimes you have to sacrifice your free time to get to where you want to be.”

To Sawyer, that process he and Tuimoloau went through was simply development, molding and growing into men, into the players that would take the torch from Harrison and senior defensive end Tyreke Smith and pass it on to the next group when it was their turn.

“I think we're starting to realize that we have to take it to the next level with everything we do,” Sawyer said. “We’re going to have more of an important role next year and more of a leadership role next year that our defense needs.”

It’s the same process Smith went through with defensive line coach Larry Johnson when he came in.

The preparation is the same for everyone in the room, the senior defensive end said. Johnson expects everyone in the room to have that “faucet” mentality, acting like they will be or are the best in the country.

“Everybody has to be prepared whether you like it or not. I feel like the guys are,” Smith said of Sawyer and Tuimoloau. “They have been trusted into the system and working with coach, they have been paying attention. I really feel like the young dudes are really like gravitating toward the older guys, honing in on that maturity. I feel like they are going to be fine.”

Both showed their potential at points in 2021.

Sawyer and Tuimoloau combined for 6.5 tackles for loss — including 5.5 sacks — along with 26 tackles, two broken-up passes, three quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

To Tuimoloau, the Ohio State offensive line was the best preparation tool in practice, showing them what to expect when the lights turned on at Ohio Stadium, preparing them, day in and day out, for Big Ten play.

But now with their feet under them, Smith feels the sky’s the limit for both freshmen.

“They are already doing better than I was my freshman year,” Smith said. “They are sponges to the game. They want to learn as much as they can, they are always asking questions and they always go out there and play 100%, give 100%, go out and give that maximum effort. You don’t have to coach them. They are always going hard. I feel like when you have guys like that that are sponges to the game, there’s only a certain time where they are going to skyrocket.”

Right now, as Ohio State prepares for the Rose Bowl, all Tuimoloau and Sawyer are doing are beginning to take that next step.

It may not look different to what they were doing in Johnson’s room originally. But now, both know what’s coming.

And historically, that has made a difference for Ohio State defensive linemen.

“I feel like the next step for me will be just keep doing what I am doing, but just kick it up one more notch,” Tuimoloau said. “Still keep my head down, be humble, keep God close and continue to be the better version of myself.”