INDIANAPOLIS — Ohio State junior wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. had some interesting words to say about rival Penn State at Big Ten Media Day at Lucas Oil Stadium this week.
“Playing them back in the [horse]shoe is exciting,” Harrison said. “They’re always a tough game. They have great corners over there and I’m definitely excited for those matchups.”
Harrison Jr. is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison Sr., who starred along with quarterback Peyton Manning with the Indianapolis Colts.
He had a stellar campaign as a sophomore in 2022, as he made 77 catches for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. He received First Team All-Big Ten and Unanimous All-American honors, and won the Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year Award for best wideout in the conference.
Harrison starred against Penn State in their last matchup at Beaver Stadium on Oct. 29, 2022. He posted career-highs in receptions with 10 and receiving yards with 185, helping Ohio State win 44-31.
Despite having a great game last season, Harrison did mention that Penn State have great cornerbacks that will provide for great matchups this season when they face off Saturday, Oct. 21 in Columbus.
One of those players he complimented was junior Kalen King. King made 30 total tackles, defended 21 passes and caught three interceptions last season, earning him Third Team All-Big Ten as a sophomore in 2022. He will now assume the No. 1 cornerback role next season and try to stop Harrison from putting up big numbers again.
“He’s an aggressive guy,” Harrison said on King. “I think going into my film study last year, they press coverage a lot. So I’m going to have to keep working my releases and be prepared for that game and they’re handsy. They’re hands-on and they disrupt timing and things like that. So, they’re a tough challenge. They were one of my tougher challenges last year.”
Nittany Lions senior cornerback Johnny Dixon should also play a large role in preventing the Buckeyes’ offense, along with King. Dixon made 23 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, defended 12 passes and caught one interception in 2022, en route to earning an All-Big Ten honorable mention.
