Michigan, Ohio State players ‘break the ice’ at Senior Bowl

Michigan edge rusher Jaylen Harrell chases after Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Michigan won 30-24. (AP Photo/David Dermer)AP

MOBILE, Ala. — It’s not every day that you find players from Michigan and Ohio State on the same team, coexisting in the same space. The two schools make up one of the most heated rivalries in all of sports

Yet that is the situation six players from the national champion-winning Wolverines find themselves in this week at Senior Bowl, on the same roster as a pair of Buckeyes.

The group of players help comprise the National team, have been apart of meetings and two days of practices (with a third set for Thursday) ahead of Saturday’s game in Mobile (1 p.m. ET, NFL Network).

And according to Michigan edge rusher Jaylen Harrell, things got off to a smooth start upon arrival on Monday.

“Yeah, you know, I’ve been cool with (Ohio State safety) Josh Proctor,” Harrell told MLive during an interview on Wednesday. “Josh Proctor came up to me and was like, ‘Let’s break the ice right now.’”

They apparently did. Since then, Harrell says he and Proctor have been on friendly terms — describing their relationship as having mutual respect for one another, with everyone trying to reach the NFL.

“(The rivalry) is really big on the field, but off the field it’s love,” Harrell said. “It’s really not that big. People make it seem like it’s some crazy thing. On the field, yes — but off the field it’s just catching up on ball. It’s really not butting heads or anything.”

Michigan offensive lineman Trevor Keegan, never one to mince words or hide his feelings, agreed. He said “we made up” with Proctor and Ohio State’s other Senior Bowl representative, defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr., calling them both “cool dudes, man.”

“The rivalry game — yeah, it’s huge — but sometimes it’s blown out of proportion,” Keegan said. “They’re still players who are playing the game that they love. There’s mutual respect. Really good dues — and they’re funny as hell, too.”

This isn’t the first time we have heard an outgoing Michigan player try and downplay the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry. In March 2022, during the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Michigan defensive back Vincent Gray said he and Ohio State receiver Chris Olave had become “kind of cool now.”

Said Gray: “He likes to bring up the past, but it’s kind of a ‘what’d you do for me now? type of sport, ya know?”

Speaking of the present, Michigan scored its third straight win over the Buckeyes in November, 30-24, en route to a third consecutive Big Ten title and the program’s first national title since 1997.

“We’re all competing, getting to know each other, getting better,” Harrell said. “It’s the best of the best.”