COLUMBUS, Ohio - Last year’s fall camp faced Tyler Friday with a lot of unknowns and new challenges, but going into his second season, the defensive lineman has a newfound comfortability.

Friday appeared in nine games as a freshman, and the experience he gained in 2018 has prepared him to have a bigger impact this season.

He admitted that last camp did not go as expected.

“The hardest part was probably dealing with all the reps at that speed – the college speed,” Friday admitted. “Getting used to that took some time.”

The then-freshman was able to turn to the leadership of Jonathon Cooper in order to get through the early grind. Cooper, who will be a key cog in Ohio State’s success this season, took Friday under his wing.

“That’s my little brother,” Cooper said. “I feel like I do a good job in taking care of him. I put the responsibility of being a leader and a leader of this unit.”

The leadership mantle has been an emphasis for Cooper, and he feels that it is pivotal to the team’s success that young guys, like Friday, step up this season.

“I want to make sure I set the example and the standard of the room. I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job of that, especially with a guy like Tyler (Friday) because he is really talented and we’re going to need him this year.”

Beyond Friday’s talent, his toughness and ability to grasp the playbook allowed him to see the field as often as he did in 2018.

“I think knowing what was going on, knowing the plays. That’s the first part, just knowing what you’re doing," Friday said on the reason he saw so much playing time. "Everything else comes after that, especially the toughness part. I have always had that. I think you go out there and compete and hold your own, that is a big part of playing time."

In order to take the next step in his maturation, Friday has focused on technique to make a bigger impact on the field. Friday admitted the importance of fundamentals in order to make an impact on the college level.

Cooper also pointed to the growth in confidence as a big reason for Friday’s increased comfortability in his play and ability to lead others.

“He has the confidence about him that he knows the plays and he knows the defense, so he can go and talk to younger players under him and tell them what they need to do without having to come to me and ask me first,” Cooper said.

A lot of the credit for Friday’s growth has to be given to Larry Johnson, who Friday noted as a big reason in his decision to become a Buckeye.

“He has been everything I thought he would be plus more,” Friday said on Johnson. “The technique from every little detail, every step. He has been coaching me extremely well, extremely hard."

Johnson continues to challenge and push Friday to become a better player. Learning from Johnson has been a huge positive for Friday, and his improvement in the year he has been with the program is evident.

“I came in with an open mind, and coach J really helped me improve in the areas I didn’t see I was struggling in until he made sure I realized that I needed work in those areas,” Friday said.

This growth and maturity will hopefully result in some positive performances on the field for Friday, who has not changed the goal for himself. He continues to strive to make an impact and to do what he needs to do in order to compete and find his way onto the field.

“I put that pressure on myself. No one wants to sit on the sideline, so it’s always exciting to compete for a spot and see when I can get on the field,” Friday said.