'I just can't go chasing': Consistency still name of the game for Ohio State DE J.T. Tuimoloau

Jack Sawyer has been in the spotlight this offseason, and for good reason.

The senior defensive end piled up eight tackles for loss, most notably five sacks, and two forced fumbles in the final six games of 2023. Then he helped rally his class to return for the 2024 season. Since, he’s emerged as one of four Ohio State captains.

CLICK HERE to go to PrizePicks and use code ON3 to receive a guaranteed $50 once you play $5 in lineups!

Sawyer has developed into a prototypical Buckeyes star, a local product-turned-team leader. He’s become one of the most-discussed Ohio State players nationally. Fellow defensive end, and classmate, J.T. Tuimoloau fit into that category last year.

Often, the conversation fixated around the idea of Tuimoloau having a “Penn State game” every week, or something close to it. That, of course, was a reference to his all-world performance at Penn State in 2022 when he caused four turnovers and, in the process, recorded six tackles, two sacks and two interceptions, including a game-clinching pick-six.

When all was said and done, Tuimoloau finished his sophomore campaign with only 3.5 sacks. Granted he upped his pressure total from his true freshman season and drew holding calls and double teams that don’t show up on the stat sheet, but he entered last offseason searching for more consistency.

On one hand, he delivered the best year of his career in 2023. As a junior, he finished with the most total tackles (38), sacks (5.0) and, per Pro Football Focus, pressures generated (37) as well as defensive snaps (677) of his three-year stay at Ohio State.

On the other hand, all but 10 of those pressures and all but one of those sacks came in the first seven games. So, again, the word “consistency” keeps coming up. And that remains the goal for Tuimoloau.

But, when he was asked Thursday about the idea of striving for a “Penn State game” every week, he answered in a mature, patient way.

“As much as it would be great to have a ‘Penn State game’ every day, every week,” Tuimoloau said, “that’s hard. So, for me, I just can’t go chasing. I gotta let it come to me. Got to stay in my wheelhouse. Not going outside of it, doing things out the blue that hurts me more.

“Right now, it’s just eyes, hands, feet — playing fast, playing physical and just continue to be the player I am, and just bring that every week.”

The player Tuimoloau is right now is an NFL Draft prospect who could have already been an early-round pick had he decided to go pro this year.

While Tuimoloau had a quieter end to his junior season, he put an imprint on the Buckeyes’ two top-10 wins last year.

First he made back-to-back stops that set the stage for Ohio State’s game-winning drive at Notre Dame. Then he dialed up a sack and fourth down pass deflection in the fourth quarter against who else but Penn State to help deliver another signature victory.

To say Tuimoloau is flying under the radar would be an overstatement. That said, the Edgewood, Washington, native’s not the focal point of the Ohio State talk like he was last year.

He could easily be by the end of the year, though — especially if he consistently plays with the “violent mentality” he discussed Thursday.

“That’s just been the type of mentality we want to play with,” he said, “not to the point where we’re getting out of our technique but staying in that mode, staying in that ‘kill mode’ and just attacking everybody that’s in front of us.”