Marvin Harrison Jr., Josh Proctor earn Big Ten weekly honors after starring against Maryland
COLUMBUS — Safety Josh Proctor gave Ohio State the shot in the arm it needed in the first half against Maryland, and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. helped the Buckeyes pull away for a 37-17 win.
Both were recognized by the Big Ten Monday.
Harrison was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, and Proctor was honored as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.
Harrison caught a season-high eight passes for 163 yards as well as a touchdown that put Ohio State up, 34-17, with about seven minutes to go.
Quarterback Kyle McCord attempted 29 passes, and 15, or 51.7%, of them were intended for Harrison, who showed out despite playing on a less-than-100% right ankle, which he injured two weeks prior at Notre Dame. During the week, Harrison said his ankle was “good enough” to play on, and, postgame, he noted that the adrenaline Saturday helped him perform through the pain.
Harrison now has 25 catches for 499 receiving yards and four touchdowns this season. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound wideout is up to 10 career 100-yard receiving games — he’s tied with Garrett Wilson and Michael Jenkins for the third most in program history. David Boston is the record holder with 14.
An encore season from Harrison was expected. What Proctor is doing defensively is a surprise, not because he lacks the necessary talent — that’s never been the case — but because he hadn’t put it all together his first five years with the Buckeyes.
But, in his sixth season, Proctor looks like an NFL prospect.
He headlined another strong Ohio State defensive performance with a 24-yard pick-six in the second quarter. Proctor read the eyes of Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, stepped in front of the route of wide receiver Tyrese Chambers, intercepted the pass and took the ball to the house for the first, and only, Ohio State touchdown of the opening half.
Proctor also teamed up with safety Sonny Styles to stop Tagovailoa on a 3rd-and-Goal keeper earlier in the second quarter, forcing a Maryland field goal.
He rounded out the day with seven total tackles — tying his single-game career high — one of which might have saved a breakaway touchdown at the start of the third quarter.
Proctor, who missed the Buckeyes’ Week 2 win over FCS Youngstown State, has posted 23 total tackles this season, including 17 solos and 2.5 tackles for loss. He has the aforementioned interception and three pass breakups to his name.
The veteran safety is posting his lowest Pro Football Focus missed tackle rate (11.1%) since the 2019 season, and he’s allowed just three receptions on 11 targets so far, per PFF.
