Marvin Harrison Jr.'s offseason changes could lead to an even better 2023
Following a season that solidified his position as one of college football's premier receivers, Marvin Harrison Jr. faces a singular question: What does he do next? The standout from Ohio State delivered an exceptional performance as a sophomore, prompting curiosity about what he can do as an encore in what is likely to be his final college football season.
Naturally, Harrison aims to improve on last year's impressive record of 77 receptions, 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. However, achieving this demands a historically outstanding performance, considering he was in the top five in Buckeye history in all these statistical categories last season.
To pursue this goal, Harrison made a couple of changes in the offseason. In the spring, the Scarlet and Gray experimented with Harrison in the slot position, moving from his previous role as the outside X receiver, and he emphasized his focus on more yards after the catch. These alterations have carried over into the fall camp.
In the past seven seasons, the most productive receiver for Scarlet and Gray, in terms of yardage, has primarily operated from the slot position. Harrison is acutely aware of this trend.
“I think when you just look at the slot receivers in Ohio State's offense over the past couple of years, there's a lot of success,” he said this week. “Dating back to K.J. Hill, Parris Campbell, Jaxon (Smith-Njigba), Garrett (Wilson) for one year and Emeka (Egbuka) last year. So I think the slot is a very important piece in our offense.”
The average size of the slot receivers Harrison named was just over 6-foot and 197 pounds. Harrison is listed at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, so he is not the average build for a slot receiver. Despite this, he remains confident in his ability to excel in this position.
“Even from a run blocking standpoint, I think that's where my size can kind of come into play," Harrison continued. "We ask our slots to sometimes dig out linebackers and block D-end. So I definitely can do that in the offense. And then just also just being a mismatch. I mean, I like my chances against a safety anytime. So I think it just definitely brings a different element to the offense.”
How much Harrison actually plays in the slot won’t be determined until the Buckeyes begin playing games. Wide receivers coach Brian Hartline likes to move his receivers around in practice and teaches them to play each position. He said in the spring that Harrison “can do anything you want him to do.”
Harrison is particularly determined to deliver more big plays this season. His average yards after a catch last year stood at a mere 4.2, placing him 87th in this category nationwide. In the spring, he shared his aspiration to convert five-yard receptions into 20-yard gains and turn 20-yard gains into 60-yard receptions.
Improving in yards after catch, according to Harrison, presents a challenge to practice. The scarcity of tackling during training and even in scrimmages prevents players from replicating the contact experienced in actual games. However, Harrison believes a change in his mental approach will lead to an improvement in this area of his game.
“I think yards after the catch is definitely a mindset thing,” he explained. “Just not letting the first person tackle you. Try to do as much as you can after the catch. I think it's really just a mindset. You can't really practice that as much.”
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