Football: Harrison to use spring practice to find more ways to make an impact

Jacob Benge
Wed, 22 Mar 2023 02:00:24 +0000
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Ohio State second-year wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) celebrates a touchdown during then-No. 3 Ohio State’s (11-1) 77-21 win over Toledo (9-5) in Columbus on Sept. 17. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

When he wasn’t making toe-tapping catches or hauling in one of his 14 touchdowns last season, second-year wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. logged hours at Ohio State’s indoor practice field.

Whether he spent time after practice or on the weekends, Harrison and a group of teammates lined up next to a Monarc Seeker, a robotic football machine that can sling game-like passes and boot punts.

“When a quarterback is maybe trying to rest his arm for the next day or something like that, I still want to get my catches in,” Harrison said.

Almost every day last season, Harrison caught passes from the Seeker, focusing on bettering himself, and it turned into a partnership for one of the breakout wide receivers in college football.

“I want to be an example for that company,” Harrison said. “The Seeker has helped me a lot and in my career this far here at Ohio State, so any way I can promote the company that’s good.”

A top-three finalist last season for the Biletnikoff Award — given to college football’s most outstanding receiver — Harrison brought in 1,263 receiving yards across 77 receptions and averaged 16.4 yards per catch in his first year as a starter.

It still wasn’t good enough for Harrison.

Former Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt received the Biletnikoff Award after catching 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns, which stood as second- and fifth-most in the country, respectively.

Becoming the top receiver in college football is one of a number of factors motivating Harrison this offseason ahead of his third year at Ohio State.

“It definitely does bother me because I think that’s one of the things when you look back on as your college career, you can point to that I won best receiver in the country award for that year,” Harrison said. “I think I definitely deserved it. I mean, Jalin had a great year as well at Tennessee, but I think I deserved it.”

Harrison entered concussion protocol after a hit from Georgia sophomore defensive back Javon Bullard on a play reviewed for targeting in the third quarter of the Buckeyes’ 42-41 Peach Bowl loss to the Bulldogs, causing him to miss the fourth quarter.

Harrison said he respects the decision made by Ohio State’s athletic trainers to keep him from re-entering the Peach Bowl, and that it was “in the best interest to keep me healthy.”

“I think there’s always ‘what ifs,’” Harrison said. “I know I can make an impact when I’m out there on the field. I would’ve loved to be out there for especially the whole fourth quarter of a college football playoff game, but I got to live with it at this point.”

When the Buckeyes returned to the practice field March 7 for their first rounds of drillwork this spring, Harrison took part in the early repetitions at punt returner despite not having made a return in his college career.

In the absence of second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, who led Ohio State with 11 punt returns last season but will miss spring practice due to injury, head coach Ryan Day said the Buckeyes are building depth in their return corps and the probability of Harrison returning punts in-game isn’t likely aside from an emergency situation.

“We want him to grow as well,” Day said. “Everybody kind of comes into spring with a different plan of what they want to get done. We don’t want to just be the same old stuff for Marv, so we’re going to try to build his tools and his package.”

Offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, who spends some of the most time around Harrison as wide receivers coach, said the Buckeyes receiver strives to accomplish and reach heights met by professionals — such as Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings, Las Vegas Raiders’ Davante Adams or his own Hall of Fame father Marvin Harrison Sr.

“Perspective is — I don’t even know how you would think anything otherwise besides the things he’s trying to chase is not amateur, and on a smaller level, college football,” Hartline said. “I think he has perspective and wants to chase his dad. So, the small mindedness, I don’t think really Marvin has ever possessed that. He’s always been pushed to think big, and I think he’s probably doing that.”

Marvin Harrison Jr.’s record-breaking first season as a starter led to unanimous All-American accolades and First Team All-Big Ten recognition. It may be difficult to find an aspect of his game that he can do better.

In fact, there is an area where Marvin Harrison Jr. sees he can improve — and he’ll do what it takes to get there.

“There’s always room to get better everywhere whether that’s getting in and out of your breaks faster, ball skills,” Harrison said. “I think one thing in particular that I’m kind of focusing on is just making plays after the catch. Trying to turn 5-yard catches into 20, or 20-yard catches into 60, things like that.”