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Marvin Harrison Jr. named Big Ten offensive player of the year, wide receiver of the year

Joey Kaufman and Colin Gay, Columbus Dispatch
·3 min read
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Ohio State star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was named the Big Ten Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year Wednesday, marking a sixth straight season in which one of the Buckeyes was so recognized.

Harrison follows a trio of quarterbacks – C.J. Stroud in 2022 and 2021, Justin Fields in 2020 and 2019 and Dwayne Haskins Jr. in 2018 – to take the honor, which is named after former Ohio State running back Eddie George and Northwestern quarterback Otto Graham.

Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. was voted the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year and won honors as the Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year.
Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. was voted the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year and won honors as the Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year.

He is the first non-quarterback or running back to be named the conference’s best offensive player since Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards in 2004.

The most recent non-Ohio State player to claim the award was Penn State running back Saquon Barkley in 2017.

Harrison was also named the Big Ten Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year. That trophy is named after Wisconsin's Pat Richter and Michigan's Desmond Howard. It's the second-straight season Harrison has earned that distinction. Harrison is the first back-to-back winner since Penn State's Allen Robinson in 2012-13.

Harrison was the Buckeyes’ offensive centerpiece, catching 67 passes for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns, and shouldered a heavier load last month when Emeka Egbuka missed three straight games with an ankle injury.

“He’s been a major focus for our offense,” offensive coordinator Brian Hartline said, “and he’s still productive.”

Harrison might yet receive more hardware, as he is a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the top receiver in college football. Also up for that honor are LSU's Malik Nabers and Washington's Rome Odunze.

Cade Stover named Big Ten tight end of the year

The league additionally announced that Ohio State's Cade Stover was recognized as the Big Ten's Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year, which is named after Penn State's Ted Kwalick and Iowa's Dallas Clark.

Stover is the first Ohio State tight end to win the award.

Ohio State's Cade Stover was named the Big Ten's Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year.
Ohio State's Cade Stover was named the Big Ten's Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year.

Stover finished as the Buckeyes' second-leading receiver with 41 catches for 576 yards, both career highs, and five touchdowns.

Stover's 41 catches and 576 receiving were the most by an Ohio State tight end since John Frank in 1983, who recorded 45 catches for 641 receiving yards.

Stover had seven games where he had at least four receptions, while also finishing with one two-touchdown performance against Purdue Oct. 14.

Unsurprisingly, Stover is a finalist for the John Mackey Award, given to the top tight end in college football, with Georgia's Brock Bowers and Colorado State's Dallin Holker.

Eight Ohio State players earn All-Big Ten honors

Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson was voted first-team All-Big Ten.
Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson was voted first-team All-Big Ten.

Here are the other Ohio State offensive players to earn All-Big Ten honors.

Conference coaches and selected media voted on the top players from the league. Here are the results of that balloting.

First team

— WR Marvin Harrison Jr.

— RB TreVeyon Henderson

— OG Donovan Jackson

— TE Cade Stover (media)

— OT Josh Fryar (media)

Second team

— OG Matthew Jones

Third team

— WR Emeka Egbuka

— QB Kyle McCord

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Marvin Harrison Jr., Cade Stover earn 2023 Big Ten football awards