Second-year wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) and Emeka Egbuka (2) leap in celebration during the Ohio State-Indiana game Nov. 12. Ohio State won 56-14. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
The Buckeyes aren’t surprised by the breakout seasons of their wide receiving corps amid the absence of third-year wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
During the Rose Bowl last season, then-first year wide receivers Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. earned the first starts of their Ohio State careers. They combined for nine catches and three touchdowns across more than 100 receiving yards.
That game was only a glimpse of their soon-to-be decorated second seasons.
“I felt like it was a good game for me to get my feet wet and understand what it’s like to play on this scale — but this year is definitely different,” Egbuka said. “I’m feeling more locked in, feeling more focused.”
Harrison landed on the 2022 Associated Press All-America First Team and was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which is given to college football’s most outstanding receiver regardless of position. He led the Buckeyes with 1,157 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
Often on the other side of the formation, Egbuka proved versatile, leading Ohio State with 1,220 all-purpose yards while returning kicks and punts as well as rushing for 81 yards and two touchdowns.
“I think we had a lot of fun this year,” Harrison said. “Going out there, playing with each other, playing with the brotherhood, things like that, so we’ve had a lot of fun.”
Head coach Ryan Day and Ohio State were forced to quickly pivot and address the loss of Smith-Njigba due to leg injury in the season opener, which meant Egbuka and Harrison’s roles would increase.
Both caught over 1,000 yards and averaged more than 15.7 yards per catch over 12 games. It seemed when Ohio State needed to gain yards, it looked toward Harrison for an acrobatic catch or Egbuka for an elusive, big run.
Their work toward becoming key parts of the Buckeye offense, though, required lots of time in practice or on the JUGS machines, third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud said, and they started early.
“They pick up on the offense really well,” Stroud said. “When they first got in here, there wasn’t like a slouch from Chris (Olave) and Garrett (Wilson). Emeka, and Julian (Fleming) and Marvin were the two’s that year, and they were just as good or better at times.”
Harrison alluded to Ohio State’s three team goals set at the start of the season: beating Michigan, regaining the Big Ten Conference title and winning the College Football Playoff National Championship.
The first two, however, went by the wayside after the Buckeyes fell to the Wolverines for the second-straight season Nov. 26, which saw both Egbuka and Harrison catch over 120 yards and a touchdown. The third can still be reached.
And, to Harrison, Ohio State has to take care of.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done,” Harrison said.
No. 1 Georgia presents the latest challenge for No. 4 Ohio State Saturday. The Bulldogs have allowed about 215 passing yards per game this season, and defensive backs redshirt sophomore Kelee Ringo and senior Christopher Smith serve large roles, breaking up 11 combined passes and catching five interceptions.
Egbuka and Harrison stepped up when their numbers were called this season, and the Buckeyes will look to the duo on Saturday to help them chase their playoff dreams.
“The work that they put in and how they came in with that type of dog mindset has definitely paid off to have success this year and for the team to have success in the future,” Stroud said.
