Binjimen Victor grows after difficult freshman season

COLUMBUS- Coming into the program as a four-star recruit out of Pompano Beach, Florida, Binjimen Victor looked like the next star receiver at Ohio State. After some growing pains in his freshman year, Victor comes into 2017 with a new found confidence and a role as the deep threat in the offense.

Physically, Ohio State wide receivers coach Zach Smith could not have asked for a better built wide receiver recruit coming into his first year at Ohio State.

“He is a 6-foot-4 kid with a 7-foot wingspan that can run, he is loose, he can get in and out of breaks, he plays physical at times,” Smith said. “He was always a guy that flashed. He was always a guy that showed some ability and you would be like, wow, this kid can be really good.”

However, no matter what you look like coming into a program like Ohio State, the transition between high school and college football can be difficult on a player, especially with one with as high of expectations as Victor.

“Like every freshman coming in, it’s always frustrating not knowing what to do and everything,” Victor said. “I just had to take it day by day and come in with a different mindset.”

Victor did have some help adjusting to the culture of Ohio State. He mentions Johnnie Dixon, Terry McLaurin, Parris Campbell and even former Ohio State H-back Curtis Samuel as mentors for him last season.

“They taught me not to worry about that play,” Victor said. “Everything is in the past, leave it on the field. The next day is a new day, so come out harder in the next day.”

Victor played in five games for Ohio State last season. In those five games, he had four catches for 64 yards with a touchdown. One of his four catches in 2016 was a 21-yard reception in the Fiesta Bowl loss to Clemson.

That was around the time that Victor started to feel as though he were a part of the offense.

“Around bowl season, I feel like I got more comfortable with the play calling and I had a chance to go in and make that catch,” Victor said. “It was very important to me, you know, trying to help my team.”

Going into the 2017 season, with a new offensive coordinator in Kevin Wilson, Victor said that the Ohio State wide receivers have been working on perfecting the deep pass since the middle of summer. Many think that, with his size and his speed, Victor will be a major role in that part of the game.

Smith said that it is necessary for Victor to play a major role in the passing game.

“He’s a year older, he’s gained some weight, he’s stronger, he’s able to fight through and make it through practice and go hard and get open and be a dominant guy at the end of practice,” Smith said. “He brings an element that we need, which is playmakers and he has to be a playmaker.”

Even other receivers on the Ohio State sideline have seen the amount of growth that Victor has been through from being a freshman to returning as a veteran.

“This year, Bin, he has been through it, you know what to expect and now, he is attacking at a whole different level,” Ohio State wide receiver K.J. Hill said. “He is more confident in himself and in his game and so he is going up top over people, making plays that he didn’t make last year.”

However, despite his size, despite him emulating Cincinnati Bengals star receiver A.J. Green, despite the expectations of everyone around him, Victor, according to Smith, needs a boost of confidence to solidify his place as a potential star receiver at Ohio State.

“He still doesn’t have the self confidence to play to his ability level, so he has to experience success,” Smith said. “He has to have small victories, he as to keep getting coached, keep getting grinded to the point where he goes out and feels like he is a dominant guy. When he is, he is going to be a dominant guy.”