MADISON - Defensive line coach Ross Kolodziej has had a simple message for his group throughout the season: the 2s have to be just as good as the 1s.

With injuries sidelining end Isaiah Mullens the last five games and tackle Gio Paez the previous two, the duo of Rodas Johnson and James Thompson Jr. have taken the opportunity and run with it.

Thompson Jr. is stepping into a starting role, while Johnson is seeing his playing time take a bump upwards.

On the very first play from scrimmage this past week against Iowa, Thompson Jr. got in the backfield to tackle Kaleb Johnson for a loss of two yards.

“I just see the confidence growing week in and week out,” interim head coach Jim Leonhard said. “He (Thompson Jr.) was a guy who didn’t have a ton of experience early on, and now you’re just seeing the emotion. You’re seeing the physicality, play in and play out, which is fun to watch.”

The 47 snaps Thompson Jr. played against the Hawkeyes marked the second most he’s seen in a game - only topped by a 52-snap outing in the double-overtime loss to Michigan State. Against Iowa, the redshirt sophomore tallied two tackles, a pair of tackles and a pressure.

“We knew he had the ability and I think he’s a guy who was overthinking it a little bit early, and now just kind of letting it go,” Leonhard added. “He trusts himself, he trusts the technique we’re asking him to play with and I think you just see a guy get more confident, week in and week out, which is what you hope, what you expect with guys that are talented and care as much as he does. But you’re starting to see the results every week.

“He’s got a lot of energy and it’s fun. I love watching him make a play because everyone feeds off of it and he’s not afraid to show some emotion.”

“Personally, the things that I’ve seen James do is crazy,” Johnson said of his teammate. “I think he’s a great football player. Just seeing his growth and trusting his keys, that boy is coming along.”

The very next play against Iowa was just as dominant for the defensive line. This time, Johnson was the first up the field to square up with Johnson, who was eventually met by Maema Njongmeta and Keeanu Benton for a loss of three yards.

Johnson, who finished with 1.5 tackles for loss and a pressure, logged a season-high 57 snaps against Iowa. The redshirt junior is seeing the marriage between the mental aspect of the game and his physicality come together, much like Thompson Jr.

“Physically, I personally think I can play with anybody in college football,” Johnson said. “It’s just been my mental. I’m a lot more confident, I trust my keys a lot more… Once I see it in the game, it’s like, ‘OK, don’t panic. Trust your keys.’ Once I’m seeing, what I have been seeing, I’m able to eat.”

Benton, Johnson's good friend and roommate, is also seeing the time and work he’s put in pay off.

“I feel like he’s been committed to football,” Benton said. “You can’t tell him nothing, he is always watching film. I remember freshman year, it was like, 'alright, I got to get through this and whatever.' But now he’s taking it to another level and loves what he does and loves what he puts on film. I love it. He’s fast, physical and getting that mental step there. So I think he’s taking steps physically and mentally.”

The thread connecting the two has seen the mental side of the game clicking. The two have dug through opponents film in search of different tendencies dependent on scheme, formations, tendencies and personnel. That work is paying off on the field.

“If you know where they’re going to run at you, you can play fast,” Thompson Jr. said. "There’s been good plays each and every game, and recently it’s been good plays stacked on good plays."

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