Marvin Harrison Jr. unfazed by Biletnikoff snub as he takes Ohio State’s wide receiver room to uncharted territory

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Marvin Harrison Jr. was not amongst those that thought he may have the kind of second-year breakout as an Ohio State soccer participant that may end in nationwide recognition.

A part of that was as a result of this was an offense that was purported to be constructed round Jaxon Smith-Njigba as its greatest participant and most harmful weapon. Harrison simply wished to go with that. However plans modified drastically as soon as Smith-Njigba went down with a hamstring damage making Harrison WR1. From that time on, his declare to be the nation’s greatest had begun.

Six months later, he’s caught 72 passes for 1,152 yards and 12 touchdowns on his option to turning into the primary OSU large receiver to earn unanimous All-American standing. The one different two gamers to return near that have been Cris Carter (1986) and Terry Glenn (1995). That’s a brief record given the names who’ve come by this program, particularly over the previous decade, because the NFL has turn into flooded with gamers from OSU’s large receiver room.

“It’s such a blessing, actually,” Harrison stated. “It’s so many nice receivers which have come by right here. I’m certain most likely a few of them acquired snubbed as a result of they most likely ought to’ve been a unanimous All-American too. To be named that’s positively a blessing. Positively grateful for that.”

From a person standpoint, his sophomore season is lacking only one crucial honor that as an alternative went to Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt because the Fred Biletnikoff Award winner. He might not have come into the yr anticipating to be within the place to achieve any of these accolades, but it surely didn’t preserve him from agreeing with anybody that feels he deserved all of them.

“I did really feel I deserved to win,” Harrison stated. “Congrats to Jalin. He had an unbelievable yr, actually. I believe I deserved to win, however I simply can’t dwell on it. I gotta transfer on. I’ve acquired larger, extra vital issues to fret about proper now.”

Advisable Buckeyes tales

Harrison is aware of he was most likely snubbed in the case of the award given yearly to the nation’s greatest large receiver. He’s additionally far too humble to care that a lot about it and provides it a bunch of consideration. It’s why inside hours after the distinction was introduced, he was again contained in the Woody Hayes Athletic Facility doing what he all the time does. He lives in that constructing and may usually be discovered on the observe discipline working with the Monarc.

The Monarc is an nearly $40,000 machine that’s principally a robotic quarterback. You may set it to throw any kind of ball on any kind of route, which grew to become useful to large receivers again in 2020 when everybody was caught inside throughout a worldwide pandemic. Harrison has made it his greatest good friend and spends a lot time on it that, at one level, he truly broke the machine.

“Possibly someday I’ll get my very own,” Harrison joked. “Possibly someday.”

There’s most likely not an individual within the facility who makes use of the machine greater than he does, and sometimes, he’s joined by others throughout his exercises. That machine is liable for virtually every part he completed this season, even the issues he wasn’t anticipating to do.

When Zach Harrison posted a photo of Harrison within the facility after shedding out on the Biletnikoff, most thought-about it as him utilizing it as motivation to work more durable. However that was simply one other day on the workplace for him.

“After the Biletnikoff wasn’t actually on objective, I do that each evening just about,” Harrison stated. “It simply so occurred to be that evening was the award present. I’m in right here each evening doing that.”

Harrison works like a professional, primarily as a result of he spent most of his life getting an up-close and private take a look at a reasonably good one in his Corridor of Fame father and namesake. He additionally is aware of tips on how to function on that degree, and now he’s beginning to see the way it’s paying off in his personal profession.

It’s a stable begin, however he additionally hasn’t truly completed a lot but. The person stuff is cool, however in his thoughts, it clearly hasn’t been sufficient to test off the issues he truly anticipated out of this season. That’s the place is focus continues to be, and that gained’t change.

Anticipate there to be loads of different events the place a teammate reveals social media what Harrison’s as much as within the observe facility as he continues to boost the usual as an Ohio State large receiver.

“My mindset going into the yr was simply to be the very best participant I could possibly be,” Harrison stated. “Assist the workforce win. Assist us attain our objectives which we haven’t reached any of them to this point. Didn’t beat the workforce up north (and) didn’t win the Huge Ten championship, so clearly, on my half, I didn’t do sufficient but.

“It’s gonna be the identical factor subsequent yr. I’m not anxious about any awards or statistics or something like that. Simply take someday at a time.”

Should you or a liked one has questions and wishes to speak to knowledgeable about playing, name the Ohio Drawback Playing Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or the Nationwide Council on Program Playing Helpline (NCPG) at 1-800-522-4700.