Early Heisman Watch

Pryor, Ingram among best bets to make it to New York City in 2010
good article from si.com
Welcome to a new era of the Heisman Watch.
I'm taking the reigns from the venerable Gene Menez, which means I'll be charged with sifting through the contenders, the pretenders and the attention-grabbing fliers and trinkets that wind up in my mailbox as we race toward the awarding of the 76th Heisman Trophy.
Think of me as your pilot on this four-month flight to New York, crisscrossing the nation in a 747 as we look for the next name to enshrine alongside the game's immortals. Don't worry: I've logged plenty of practice miles, voting in the last three races. (For the record, Tim Tebow topped my ballot in 2007 and'08 and Mark Ingram earned my vote last year.)
To kick things off, we'll be departing from the typical top 10 list. Instead, we'll begin with a tiered look at my leading candidates heading into the season, starting with the best bets to make it to New York City.
Disclaimers: Contenders are listed in alphabetical order in each tier. You won't find a defensive player listed, because, well, I'm a realist.

Leading Contenders
RB Mark Ingram, Jr., Alabama

2009 stats: 271 carries, 1,658 rushing yards, 17 TDs

Ingram's recently injured knee doesn't change the fact that he's the returning winner, or that he plays for the nation's No. 1 team. As of now Ingram is only supposed to miss the opener against San Jose State, and unless that recovery timetable changes, the junior should remain in the conversation all season. The thing that may hurt Ingram is the same problem that beset the likes of Matt Leinart and Jason White -- competition on his own team. With Trent Richardson taking away some carries and the Crimson Tide expected to throw more to a healthy Julio Jones, the spotlight won't be on Ingram like it was last year. It will probably take a 2,000-yard season for Ingram to mount a serious run at joining Archie Griffin as a two-time winner.

QB, Ryan Mallett, Sr., Arkansas

2009 stats: 225-of-403 passing, 3,624 yards, 30 TDs, 7 INT

There may not be a better quarterback in the country than the Michigan transfer. He made a splash in his first year in Bobby Petrino's system, setting or tying 16 school records and leading the SEC in passing. He's bound to put up even bigger numbers this year, but his Heisman hopes will likely hinge on a four-week stretch that includes Georgia on the road, Alabama, Texas A&M in Cowboys Stadium and a trip to Auburn.

QB, Kellen Moore, Jr., Boise State

2009 stats: 277-of-431 passing, 3,536 yards, 39 TDs, 3 INT

The junior is the poster boy for the lovable little team that could make a run at the national title. Moore is coming off a sophomore season in which he threw 39 touchdown passes and just three interceptions while ranking second nationally in passing efficiency. Whether or not the Broncos can break into the BCS title game has been a major preseason debate, but an even bigger question is whether a player from a non-AQ school can win over voters. No player from outside the current BCS conferences has won the Heisman since Ty Detmer in 1990.

LoGiurato: Non-BCS hopefuls must be perfect to earn invite

QB Terrelle Pryor, Jr., Ohio State

2009 stats: 167-of-295 passing, 2,094 yards, 18 TDs, 11 INT; 16 carries, 779 yards, 7 TDs

Was Pryor's Rose Bowl performance a preview of what's to come? Jim Tressel took the leash off his QB in the win over Oregon, and Pryor threw for a career-high 266 yards and two TDs and ran for 72 yards. But let's not forget that we've been down this road before with Tressel: He opened the playbook in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl, only to return to his button-downed ways the next fall. If Tressel is serious about giving Pryor an offense more suited to his unique gifts, the junior should be a real threat.

In the Race
QB Case Keenum, Sr., Houston

2009 stats: 492-of-700 passing, 5,641 yards, 44 TDs, 15 INT

He'll certainly post mind-boggling numbers. After throwing for a nation's-best 5,671 yards and 44 scores last season, 6,000 yards isn't entirely preposterous. Houston returns three 1,000-yard receivers and the schedule includes six teams that ranked 98th or worse in pass defense last year. But Keenum has two things going against him: 1) There's not a marquee game on the schedule with a nonconference slate of UCLA, Mississippi State and Texas Tech and 2) Voters have been desensitized to mammoth passing numbers since the days of Andre Ware and Detmer -- just ask David Klingler, Timmy Chang, Colt Brennan or any of Texas Tech's QBs.

RB, Dion Lewis, So., Pitt

2009 stats: 325 carries, 1,799 rushing yards, 17 TDs

The nation's returning leading rusher burst onto the scene as a freshman, racking up more yards (1,799 yards) and more 100-yard games (10) than Ingram, and doing so while playing one fewer game. He also proved he can shoulder a load with 325 carries, second-most in the nation. Lewis could become the fourth straight sophomore to win the award, but he needs a Pitt program that has a history of underachieving to remain in the Big East hunt despite starting a new quarterback and three new offensive linemen.

RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Jr., Oregon State

2009 stats: 273 carries, 1,440 yards rushing, 21 TDs; 78 catches, 522 yards receiving, 1 TD

After amassing 2,693 yards and 32 touchdowns in his first two seasons, Quizz has become one of the nation's most exciting players. He could be in for a huge year statistically, with the Beavers likely leaning on him as they break in a first-year starting quarterback. But no one on this list will be tested as much, as early: Quizz faces No. 6 TCU and No. 3 Boise State in the first three weeks of the season. If he gets off to a slow start, his candidacy could end before it really begins, no matter how many yards he ends up recording.

Longshots
QB Ricky Dobbs, Sr., Navy

2009 stats: 56-of-105 passing, 1,031 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INT; 315 carries, 1,203 yards rushing, 27 TDs

The secret is clearly out on the Midshipmen quarterback. There's an unofficial twitter feed (@DobbsForHeisman) supporting Dobbs' candidacy, and the dual-threat QB even drew the attention of President Obama when Navy picked up its latest Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. The senior is coming off a record-setting season in which he broke Tim Tebow's mark for rushing TDs by a quarterback in one season (27) while rushing for 1,203 yards and throwing for 1,031 more. But considering no service academy player has finished higher than sixth in Heisman voting since Navy's Roger Staubach won in 1963, there may not be a bigger long shot on this list.

QB Jake Locker, Sr., Washington

2009 stats: 230-of-394 passing, 2,800 yards, 21 TDs, 11 INT; 112 carries, 388 yards rushing, 7 TDs

Locker's getting plenty of love after a summer media tour that included a stop at Sports illustrated, and NFL draftniks have been fawning over him for years. But no matter how pro-ready Locker may be, the fact remains that he has yet to put together a winning season in Seattle, and only one former Heisman winner (Paul Hornung in 1956) has played for a losing team. Locker has to put the Huskies in Pac-10 contention and take advantage of early dates with BYU and Nebraska to solidify his campaign.

RB Ryan Williams, So., Virginia Tech

2009 stats: 293 carries, 1,655 yards rushing, 21 TDs

He's arguably the best running back in the country and last year became the first freshman in ACC history to lead the conference in rushing (1,655 yards) and scoring (21 TDs). In any other year he'd be one of the favorites, but with the return of 1,000-yard rusher Darren Evans to the Hokies' lineup and the pair expected to split carries, Williams' production could suffer -- along with his case for the Heisman.

Madden Football Arrives at Mid-Night - Terrelle Pryor Says He'll Be a Buckeye Again Next Year

I'll beileve it when I see it!

'Humbled' Terrelle Pryor says he wants to be OSU's QB as a senior in 2011
Cleveland Plain Dealer
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- To hear one Ohio State player tell it, Terrelle Pryor maybe wasn't a great teammate during his first two years as a Buckeye. Of course, the player explaining this was Pryor himself.
"I think I was a little arrogant, to tell the truth," Pryor said Sunday, speaking to reporters at Ohio State's team photo day. "You think about it and I came in as a junior in high school and everybody was praising me, everyone was being around me and everybody was telling me how I great I am. It can be kind of ... you lose your humbleness. And [now] I feel humble. I feel very humble, very appreciative."
No one's looking for a transformation from Pryor, now a junior with 23 games of experience since he took over as the starting quarterback in the fourth game of his freshman season. But everyone's always looking for progress.
Three days into Ohio State's preseason camp, his throwing motion seems even a bit more over the top, a continued improvement from his days slinging it as a freshman. His surgically repaired left knee, protected by a brace as it was in the spring, seemed fine as he rolled out and threw on the move during practice Sunday. His haircut has changed -- "a boxcut," Pryor said, "just a little old school, something different."
Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor takes a break during Sunday's practice. And restating what he said during spring practice, Pryor feels more comfortable with everything that goes into lining up, taking that snap and controlling a game.
"I really feel like I'm a quarterback now," Pryor said. "I feel like I can be a complete quarterback, but I can also run the ball. It's going to be interesting. I feel smarter and with how much I grew, it's going to be an interesting year for me."
Offered up for comparison, here's Pryor's description of himself a year ago at photo day, before his sophomore season.
"Right now, I'm a running quarterback," Pryor said in August of 2009. "I'd like to be a quarterback than can run someday. But right now, I'm a running quarterback."
So that's a change.
Pryor also said he's interacting more with his teammates and with people he runs across in his life. He said he's sitting up straighter in meetings, paying more attention, answering questions that aren't even directed at him.
"My freshman and sophomore year I wasn't trying to get better every day," he said. "Now I push myself because I got so close with the senior guys now that I want to go out with a bang."




A year ago, OSU coach Jim Tressel was touting Pryor's progress, but it was mostly about understanding the offense after a first year just trying to survive on talent. Tressel wasn't talking about Pryor as an old guy then. Now he is.
"I think he's played like a veteran these first couple days," Tressel said. "He's got such a foundation now that I've been very impressed with his summer and his first two practices."
Pryor claimed Sunday he's not ready for it to end anytime soon. Unprompted, he said he'd return for his senior season, which might be a smart move according to some draft analysts.
Pryor's far from the first player to promise to come back -- in recent years, running backs Antonio Pittman and Beanie Wells and receiver Anthony Gonzalez all talked about returning before passing on their senior seasons. But again, Pryor wasn't pressed on this. He was just looking into the future, just as he'd been looking at the past.
"I want to leave a legacy, that's my goal," Pryor said. "That's why I'll be here for four years. I can't wait. I'm so happy."



MADDEN ARRIVES AT MID-NIGHT


Critics: Madden 11 draws up new plays, still scores
yahoo.com
Hope you're ready for some football, because if you play video games, that's mostly what you'll be doing this week. EA's annual August Madden moment finally arrives on most major systems Tuesday, giving football fans the perfect way to kill time while waiting for Brett Favre to make up his mind. Again.
But while the legendary flipflopper loves the drama, EA loves to avoid it by doling out small changes to Madden year after year rather than massive revamps. Madden NFL 11, however, has decided to hurl a Hail Mary by tweaking the way plays are called, a feature that has remained fairly consistent for roughly two decades’ worth of gridiron greatness.
So should you strap on your gaming helmet and order a week's worth of pizza, or stick with last year's game and focus on your Fantasy team instead? According to critics, tuck $60 under your arm and juke towards your local retailer: Madden 11 is worth drafting.
IGN jumps right in and gets its hands dirty with Madden 11's biggest new feature: Gameflow, a one-button playcalling system that automatically chooses the best play for your given situation, turning marathon Madden games into much quicker experiences.
"If you're someone who's new to Madden or if the complexities of figuring out formation types was too much for you in the past, you're going to enjoy the bulk of what GameFlow does for you," says reviewer Nate Ahearn, though he points out that the artificial intelligence "makes some bone-headed play calls that...will likely be lamented by hardcore veterans of the series." Still, the game's got enough oomph to warrant a solid 8/10.
Game Informer's Matthew Kato goes a bit higher with an 8.75/10 review that calls Madden 11 "a clear step forward for the franchise." Why? In part because of the recharged ground game.
"Subtle cuts, bursts of speed (without the turbo button), sheer physical power, and other characteristics are layered on and make NFL players come alive and showcase the abilities that make some of them stand out from the crowd. The game makes you feel like you’ve got unprecedented control over the runner," he notes.
Madden 11's new Online Team Play feature -- which lets up to six players hit the field together, online, in the same game -- also feels the love. IGN calls it "one of the best gameplay modes to make it into a Madden game in a long time" that "lends itself very nicely to smack talking friends on your team," while game blog Kotaku believes the game "deserves praise" for leading the way in co-operative online play.
Unfortunately, MTV Multiplayer thinks Madden might have been co-opted a bit itself, calling the game's embedded advertising blitz "particularly aggressive."
"Every time you get into the red zone, anytime you get an in-game stat feed, or enter half-time, hit a big play, or even get an achievement, you'll see or hear something from a sponsor," says reviewer Brad Nicholson in an otherwise positive piece. This paragraph has been brought to you by Yahoo! Games, by the way.

The bottom line? Critics mention a variety of other flaws -- including a lack of changes to the Franchise mode, repetitive commentary and the soon-to-be-patched Strategy Pad -- but none of that seems to dissuade them from recommending it for newbies and vets alike. As Kotaku puts it: "Madden NFL 11 is loads of fun, and that's why you play the game."

Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor, Week 8 College Football TV Schedule, Lebron James

Can the relationship between Ohio State, Terrelle Pryor be salvaged?
www.si.com
The marriage between Ohio State and Terrelle Pryor began with such promise. The nation's most gifted high school quarterback joining forces with the reigning powerhouse of the Big Ten? What could possibly go wrong?

It turns out, just about everything.

It's been a rough week for the Buckeyes' presumed savior. Ohio State fans are apoplectic following the sophomore's nightmarish four-turnover performance in a 26-18 loss at 1-5 Purdue last weekend. Many are ready to throw in the towel and declare the former all-everything recruit a bust. Some want him moved to receiver. Others are directing their venom toward Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel and his staff for failing to properly utilize and develop such an elite athlete.

Adding to the fury came two particularly damning news stories this week. In attempting to defend his embattled teammate from critics, receiver DeVier Posey let slip a highly unflattering assessment. "He's going to get better," said Posey. "He really can't do much worse."

Meanwhile, Pryor's former high school coach, Ray Reitz, vented to an ESPN reporter what many of us already believed: That Tressel's old-school offensive schemes aren't doing the dual-threat QB any favors. "They need Terrelle to run more," said Reitz. "... When I watch Terrelle play right now, I see a robot."

Adding perhaps the ultimate insult to any self-respecting Buckeye fan, Reitz said, "There is no question that Rich Rodriguez's [Michigan] offense, for example, would be more apt to suit Terrelle's skills."

Pryor is hardly the first ballyhooed quarterback recruit to come under public fire. Just ask Chris Simms. Or Chris Rix. Or Chris Leak.

However, the level of angst over Pryor is unlike any I've previously seen, particularly at such an early stage in the player's career. Posey is pleading for critics to be "patient," but patience is no longer part of the college football lexicon. Not when Ohio State fans have already watched this year's quarterback phenom, USC freshman Matt Barkley, beat their team in its own stadium. Not when Barkley went to Notre Dame last week and threw for 380 yards in just his fifth career start.

But not all quarterback situations are created equal. Barkley and USC happen to go together like Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly. The SoCal native is a classic pro-style drop-back passer at a program that churns out pro-caliber passers. His cheery disposition and confident, borderline-brash personality almost eerily mirror that of his coach, Pete Carroll. And Barkley was handed the keys to an offense already brimming with veteran linemen, running backs and receivers.

The coupling of Pryor and Tressel, on the other hand, feels more forced with each passing week.

Tressel seems intent on running an offense built more for someone like Barkley than Pryor. The zone-read apparently isn't part of his playbook. Meanwhile, part of Ohio State fans' frustration is the appearance that Pryor (who's completing just 56 percent of his passes, with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions) has regressed from his freshman season, when he actually performed fairly well (60.6 percent completions, 12 TDs, four INTs). But remember, last season Pryor had future first-rounder Beanie Wells in his backfield and two other current NFLers, Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline, as his primary receivers. Pryor is now the undisputed focal point of OSU's offense and, by most accounts, he hasn't handled the pressure particularly well.

"It doesn't look to me like he's relaxed," said Reitz. "It doesn't look like he has rhythm. It doesn't look like he's comfortable."

In any troubled relationship, each party bears part of the burden. In Pryor's case, his primary issue appears to be maturity.

There were warning signs as far back as the recruiting process, when the Jeannette, Pa., native delayed his final decision for a full six weeks after Signing Day. Recruiting followers were quick to dub Pryor a prima donna; however, those closest to him insisted he was simply overwhelmed by the hoopla.

Perhaps in hindsight the episode should have raised red flags about Pryor's ability to deal with the intense scrutiny that comes with being a star college quarterback. He certainly didn't help his cause with those bizarre comments last month regarding his adoration of Michael Vick. ("Everyone kills people, murders people, steals from you, steals from me, whatever.") Tressel has continually shielded Pryor from the media, not exactly a sign of confidence in his quarterback's ability to handle the bright lights.

Tressel, for his part, is facing his biggest public backlash since the days of Maurice Clarett. Fans, bloggers, television pundits, beat reporters -- all, like Reitz, are questioning his offensive strategy. The coach has chosen instead to place the blame primarily on Pryor's turnovers. "There's debate all the time, should we be doing what Georgia Tech's doing, should we be doing what Florida's doing ... There's no right answer to that," he said. "There a right answer to whether or not you should be turning it over, regardless of what kind of system you're using."

Tressel is an accomplished, national-championship coach who presumably knows more about offensive football than anyone writing articles about him. One would assume he has a plan in mind for how to bring along Pryor's development. The problem is, it's not working. He's unlikely to reinvent his entire offense in the middle of the season, but fans would at least like some sort of acknowledgement of the need for change. Will he simplify the passing game? Add more designed runs for Pryor? Or is he going to just keep trucking along in the same, frustrating direction.

The player Pryor was most often compared to as a recruit was Texas' Vince Young. Both are big, fast runners who arrived at college with raw passing skills. To some extent, their career paths have been similar. Both were the top-rated quarterbacks in their class. Though Young, unlike Pryor, took a redshirt year, he, like Pryor, struggled through much of his first season-and-a-half as starter. Young's low-point even came around this same time -- the sixth game of his sophomore season, against Missouri, in which the QB completed just 3-of-9 passes with two interceptions before coach Mack Brown benched him.

Over the 14 months that followed, as Young blossomed into a dominating player who eventually led his team to a national championship, countless stories talked about the week following that Missouri debacle as the turning point in Young's Texas career. According to the book Longhorn Football: An Illustrated History, "Brown and [football operations director] Cleve Bryant pulled Young aside and told him 'The guy who played against Oklahoma and Missouri is not the guy we recruited. You're not having enough fun. You're not being you.'"

The next week against Texas Tech, Young racked up 300 yards of total offense in a 51-21 rout and continued upward from there.

You'd like to think that sometime this week, if he hasn't already, Tressel will sit down and hold a similar heart-to-heart with Pryor. At the same time, it's tough to envision Dr. Sweater Vest smiling and telling his player to "go out and have fun." Nor would it be very Tressel-esque to give his quarterback the freedom to freelance the way Brown did Young in allowing "you to be you."

Can the Ohio State-Pryor marriage be saved? There's certainly plenty of time. The Buckeyes have him for at least another season-and-a-half. At 3-1 in the Big Ten standings, with first-place Iowa coming to town in mid-November, the Rose Bowl remains very much in play for Ohio State. Even if that doesn't happen, fans will at least be encouraged if Pryor starts making tangible progress, knowing both he and the entire offense will be more experienced in 2010.

But for this relationship to work, both parties will have to make changes.

Pryor, quite bluntly, needs to grow up. It may seem like a harsh thing to say about a college athlete, but Pryor is no baby. He's been in the spotlight since high school. Assuming he has eyes on the NFL, he might as well go ahead and start treating his current job like a pro. If need be, he ought to ask one of his predecessors, Troy Smith, for advice. The 2006 Heisman winner had to do a whole lot of growing up during his time in Columbus.

Tressel, meanwhile, needs to stop and consider that several hundred thousand critics can't all be wrong. The spread-option is a staple of countless college playbooks -- and it's not even all that difficult. Perhaps he already tried installing it and his players didn't catch on. If that's the case, he's got much deeper problems than just an underdeveloped quarterback.

When not accidentally throwing his teammate under the bus this week, Posey, the Buckeyes' receiver, actually made several fair points. "From his first pass, [people said] 'He's really not that good.' But I really feel that's kind of hard for a guy like that, you know what I mean? There's only one Tim Tebow in this world and I don't really know what people want from [Pryor]."

He doesn't have to be Tebow. In fact, he can't be Tebow. That would require transferring to Florida.

The question is, when will Pyror become Pyror? And is it even possible at Ohio State?

Week 8 TV Schedule
Thursday, Oct. 22 Network Time (EST)
Florida State at North Carolina ESPN 8 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 23 Network Time (EST)
Rutgers at Army ESPN2 8 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24 Network Time (ET)
Minnesota at Ohio State ESPN or ESPN2 Noon
Illinois at Purdue ESPN or ESPN2 Noon
Connecticut at West Virginia ESPN U Noon
Indiana at Northwestern Big Ten Noon
Arkansas at Mississippi SEC 12:21 p.m.
Iowa State at Nebraska FSN 12:30 p.m.
Oklahoma State at Baylor Versus 12:30 p.m.
Clemson at Miami (Fla.) ABC 3:30 p.m.
Oklahoma at Kansas ABC 3:30 p.m.
Penn State at Michigan ABC 3:30 p.m.
Oregon at Washington ABC 3:30 p.m.
Tennessee at Alabama CBS 3:30 p.m.
Boston College at Notre Dame NBC 3:30 p.m.
Louisville at Cincinnati ESPN U 3:30 p.m.
Wake Forest at Navy CBS CS 3:30 p.m.
Air Force at Utah Versus 4 p.m.
San Diego State at Colorado State MTN 4 p.m.
Vanderbilt at South Carolina ESPN U 7 p.m.
Iowa at Michigan State Big Ten 7 p.m.
Florida at Mississippi State ESPN or ESPN2 7:30 p.m.
Auburn at LSU ESPN or ESPN2 7:30 p.m.
TCU at BYU Versus 7:30 p.m.
SMU at Houston CBS CS 7:30 p.m.
Oregon State at USC ABC 8 p.m.
Texas at Missouri ABC 8 p.m.
UNLV at New Mexico MTN 8 p.m.
Arizona State at Stanford FSN 10:15 p.m.
Fresno State at New Mexico State ESPN U 10:30 p.m.


Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/ncaa/09/02/tv-schedule-2009/index.html#ixzz0UgAKlQ4g
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LeBron mentors Buckeyes' Pryor on life in spotlight

CBSSports.com

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- LeBron James is helping Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor learn how to handle everything that comes with being a celebrity athlete.
"[I'm] trying to mentor him and get him through 'life in the spotlight,' which I've been through," James said after a preseason game in Columbus on Wednesday night.
James said he has been speaking to Pryor on the phone in recent weeks to try to help him deal with celebrity at a young age. James knows something about that, since he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated under the headline "The Chosen One" while he was still in high school in Akron, Ohio.
"Being that No. 1 guy, how do you adjust to it and how do you get through it and still perform at a high level?" James said. "Sometimes it can be very difficult on [a young athlete]. I'm trying to be that guy who can really help him get through a lot of situations which he's never seen before but now he's seeing and understanding."
Pryor has been under fire from Ohio State fans after throwing two interceptions and losing two fumbles in the then-No. 7 ranked Buckeyes' stunning 26-18 loss at Purdue last week. They tumbled to No. 18 this week, and meet Minnesota on Saturday.
Adding to the pressure surrounding Pryor, his high school coach in Jeannette, Pa., said this week that Ohio State's offense is not maximizing Pryor's abilities. In a story which first appeared on ESPN.com, Ray Reitz said his former charge looks like "a robot" in Ohio State's offense.
Reitz even said Rich Rodriguez's spread offense at rival Michigan would have been a much better fit for Pryor, who chose the Buckeyes over the Wolverines.
Pryor made a surprise appearance before reporters on Wednesday night and appeared more relaxed than he had in interviews previously. He readily answered questions and spoke with conviction about the problems he has encountered.
"I came here to be a quarterback, and for the rest of the season, we're going to be pretty darn good," the 20-year-old said. "I don't know why [Reitz] would say something like that. I wouldn't trade where I'm at right now."
Another Cavaliers star, center Shaquille O'Neal, also had words of encouragement for Pryor after Cleveland lost to the Boston Celtics in an exhibition game on Wednesday night.
Talking about his first visit to Columbus, O'Neal said, "It's a very energetic crowd. I'm familiar with Ohio State football, of course. I know they're always up there [in the rankings]. I just want to tell the quarterback to keep his head up. I saw that they're getting on him the last two games. Keep your head up, young man, and try to get this football team back on track."
The Buckeyes (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) have had difficulty moving the ball most of the season. That problem has been particularly evident in the last two games. Ohio State had only one sustained drive two weeks ago, but was saved in a 31-13 victory over Wisconsin because the defense returned two interceptions for touchdowns and the Buckeyes also benefited from a kickoff return for a score.
Last week against Purdue, Ohio State scored early on a Pryor run but then could not move the ball for most of the rest of the game. The Boilermakers, two-touchdown underdogs who came in having won just one of their first six games, built a big lead and held on for the upset.
Pryor has 11 turnovers so far this year -- eight interceptions and three fumbles -- almost double the number he had a year ago when he was handed the starting job by head coach Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes went on to win eight of the next 10 games with Pryor playing most of the time, but even then Pryor and the offense played in fits and starts.
Pryor said the bad game at Purdue had helped open his eyes.
"That opened me up to the world and opened me up to myself and who I am as a person," Pryor said. "I think maybe that was the best thing to happen to us last week. Maybe we'll learn from it. We're having real good practices, and we're just trying to get the fans back on our side."
James said someone asked him to speak with Pryor.
"Well, I've known him for a few years, but our relationship started maybe a few months ago, when I was contacted on if it was possible for me to reach out to the kid," James said. "It was a no-brainer, of course. Our relationship has grown within the last couple of months. I try to keep up on him on game days. I wish him luck and throughout the week."
Now 24, James is in his seventh season in the NBA. He was one of the most acclaimed high school athletes of all time, then became an icon through both his abilities on the court and his marketing acumen. James has made few missteps in his professional and business careers.
He said that when he speaks to Pryor, he speaks from experience.
"At the end of the day, there's a lot more than just football and basketball," he said. "Because I know. I've seen it all. From a prep kid, I was very high [in terms of celebrity], and then I was a professional. So I've seen it all."
Reitz said the Buckeyes coaching staff -- Tressel oversees the offense -- is restricting Pryor too much. He also said that Ohio State had assured Pryor he would be taught how to run a pro-style offense but instead has been handed an offense that doesn't fit his abilities.
Pryor said he has been affected by all the attention he has gotten.
"Let's be real. If any of us were the quarterback at Ohio State, and you've got all these people around you, you're sort of like a superstar," he said. "And you start maybe thinking too much maybe of yourself and losing your head a little bit and losing focus."

Recent Articles on Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor

I really don't think that Pryor has no chance of being a good QB, but I do think he could become a BAD teammate if his coaches don't start coaching him instead of babying him. He is not playing very well right now, so what is the best way to help him out of his funk, sit him for a few series. If you play basketball and get in a bad groove, what happens? They take you out and sit you on the bench for awhile.
I think he is starting to become a cancer with the other players and they are starting to resent him. That all rest on the coach........ Jim Tressel!

Buckeyes' Tressel defends PryorCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Besieged by angry Ohio State fans who think his quarterback should be benched or moved to wide receiver, coach Jim Tressel defiantly said Tuesday he will make no major changes.
Terrelle Pryor remains the 18th-ranked Buckeyes' starting quarterback, even though he threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles -- and could have had another three or four turnovers -- in a stunning 26-18 loss to two-touchdown underdog Purdue on Saturday.
"From the film grade standpoint, he probably had less minus plays than he did in the past couple weeks," Tressel said on Tuesday. "Now, that's the good news. Here's the bad news: The minuses that we had were those triple minuses."
One of the most fundamental keys to "Tresselball" -- a conservative, rely-on-your-defense approach -- is that turnovers lose games. Yet Tressel continues to stand behind a quarterback who can't seem to avoid them.
"No one has a disdain for turnovers any more than Terrelle," said Tressel.
Tressel referred to Pryor's mistakes as "moments."
"He hasn't been perfect in practice, but he's come along in practice," he said. "He hasn't been perfect in games, but he's come along in games. Now, did we have three or four moments that were impactful? There's no question about it."
Tressel said he would not even consider sitting Pryor out for a series or two to clear his head or to straighten out any mistakes. He also has no plans to try to get backup quarterback Joe Bauserman in against Minnesota (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) on Saturday, or any future games.
Other Buckeyes didn't feel Pryor should have been pulled from the Purdue game.
"I don't think there was ever really a point in the game where anybody on the offense was thinking we needed a change (at quarterback)," wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher said.
Many Ohio State fans believe the 6-foot-6, 235-pound Pryor, who has yet to develop as a polished passer, might be a better fit at wide receiver, where he could use his speed and size.
Pryor completed 17 of 31 passes for 221 yards, most of the yardage coming after the Boilermakers had built a 23-7 lead through three quarters. The Ohio State offense had 120 yards at that point against a Purdue defense which had been gashed for 31 points and 380 yards per game in its first six outings. The only Ohio State (5-2, 3-1) touchdown after the opening few minutes of the game was on Pryor's ill-advised, looping 25-yard pass that DeVier Posey caught midway through the final quarter.
Pryor came to Ohio State last year heralded as the nation's No. 1 quarterback recruit. Ahead of him on the depth chart was Todd Boeckman, a first-team All-Big Ten quarterback who led the Buckeyes to the national championship game in 2007.
But three games into the 2008 season, Boeckman threw two interceptions in a lopsided 35-3 loss at Southern California -- against a defense which would have seven players taken in the NFL draft the next spring.
Three days after that game, Tressel benched the fifth-year senior and installed Pryor as the full-time starter.
Tressel said Tuesday that there is no comparison between the circumstances that led to Boeckman's benching and Pryor's poor game at Purdue.
"I'm not sure that they're comparable at all," he said. "They don't feel to me as being similar situations."
Despite Pryor's inexperience, he performed admirably as a freshman. He threw four interceptions in 165 pass attempts while completing 61 percent of his throws, and ran for 631 yards and six touchdowns.
So far this season, Pryor has not looked like the preseason Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He is completing 56 percent of his passes, with eight interceptions in 159 attempts. He also hasn't been as much of a threat when he runs and has been sacked 12 times for 100 yards in losses.
Pryor and his offense -- with Tressel calling the plays -- have struggled most of the season. They mustered 10 first downs and 265 yards in a return engagement with USC on Sept. 12, an 18-15 loss. They totaled eight first downs and 184 yards two weeks ago in a 31-13 victory over Wisconsin. Fortunately for the floundering Buckeyes offense, that game was decided by two interception returns and a kickoff return for touchdowns.
But a week later against Purdue, which came in at 1-5, the offense again did little. Only this time the defense did not carry the load as Purdue's Joey Elliott passed for 281 yards and two scores to engineer one of the bigger conference upsets in recent memory.
Earlier this season, Tressel said of Pryor, "There's probably not a more compassionate human being in the world than Terrelle."
But against the Boilermakers, it appeared a frustrated Pryor had disagreements with several teammates and coaches, at one point slamming his helmet to the ground.
Asked if he was concerned that Pryor wouldn't be able to handle it if he were benched, Tressel hedged.
"You always try to keep in mind people's feelings, but not to the point where it will hurt the team," he said. "Our responsibility is to the group. Now, that doesn't mean we don't care about the individual. You do all you can do to help every individual. But not at the expense of the team."



For Jim...


Last week I asked what was wrong with Terrelle Pryor. This week I know what is wrong with Terrelle Pryor.

Pryor's dysfunction can be broken into three distinct categories:

Throwing

•Can't throw a short spiral to save his life. Result? More incomplete passes out of the backfield than I care to count.

•Hooks his arm release like a tournament fisherman trying to jerk a bass out of the water, only in reverse. Result? Pegs the ball at the ground, forcing receivers to dive or "touch their toes" to pick up the ball. Dramatically limits yard pickup after the catch.

•Can't lead his receivers on middle routes. Result? Incomplete/broken up passes. Interceptions.

•Doesn't adjust his "snap" on his release for the speed and length of the throw. Result? More turf bullets than I care to count.

•Stares at his chosen receiver like a teenage boy ogling cleavage. Result? Linebackers have an easy time keying in on and jumping routes.
Decision-Making:
•Stands in the pocket for too long checking off multiple receivers. Hesitates to take off on the ground. Result? Gets beat to the sideline by outside linebackers. Routinely tackled close to the line of scrimmage on scrambles.

•Throws lazy deep balls (a.k.a. "arm punts" Hat Tip: BSD) into double-coverage. Result? Allows free safeties ample time to close and make a play.
Psychology:

•Pounds the turf in frustration after sacks. Hangs his head on the sidelines. Allows the game to get to him. Result? Interferes with the "muscle memory" component of mechanics making it difficult for Pryor to replicate what he did in practice during live play. Makes it difficult to recover from mistakes as a game progresses.
The combination of these raw tendencies and others has seen a signature talent devolve into a scarecrow. Don't delude yourself. Pryor is getting worse every week. The question now is what to do about it.



Let me start by saying what Jim Tressel shouldn't do. He shouldn't bench Pryor.

Don't get me wrong. Pryor should have seen the bench on Saturday against Purdue -- probably after he threw his second interception of the day at the 6:38 minute mark of the Third Quarter. Just as Rich Rodriguez substituted Denard Robinson for Tate Forcier in the fourth quarter against Iowa last week to provide an elusive "spark," a backup's presence can sometimes be a tabula rosa for a struggling offense. At the very least handing Joe Bauserman the reins for a series of two might have disrupted the Boilermaker's defensive flow, resulted in a few completions, and opened up the ground lanes for a greater rushing presence. It also might have given Pryor a chance to exorcise his demons on the sideline.

(As a short aside, Tressel needs to watch Cincinnati's Brian Kelly for cues on how to treat a struggling quarterback when he comes off the field. Pull his face mask to get his attention, tell him what he did wrong, tell him he's not going to do it again, and provide instructions on what to do instead. Make the episode a visible reprimand. Make the player mad at you instead of himself. He'll come out of the gate on the next series like a damn grizzly bear).

Still, although Tressel should have turned to Bauserman in the midst of the meltdown, he should not make him the starter next week against Minnesota. To do so would be to shoot the arthritic remains of the Ohio State offense in the foot. As Ken Gordon of The Columbus Dispatch reminds us, although Pryor is one big fat piece of the pie, he's not the entire problem.

The next biggest concern, as I see it, is the play of the offensive line. [C]learly, the line was a disaster, and there are three sophomores starting -- all big time recruits: Mike Adams, Mike Brewster and J.B. Shugarts.

What does all this say? That the recruits are all busts, all of them? Really? That they aren't getting the proper coaching? That they just had a bad day?

I believe the truth lies somewhere between bad coaching and bad day.

Coaching must be faulted to some extent. The staff had all offseason to determine what system would best suit Pryor's abilities. They came up with a pro style, run-based attack....then scrapped that after three games. All that offseason analysis -- five assistant coaches working at least 40-hour weeks for eight months, that's about 7,000 hours of work, for what?

The line appeared to be rejuvenated a few weeks ago when OSU went to the shotgun, zone-read offense. But when teams started putting serious heat on the past two weeks, they melted like wax figures.
The Buckeyes are burdened by a bad line that can't pass protect. It's easy to forget in the midst of bad throws and short scrambles how many times Pryor has to evade one, even two rushers to buy himself the time to look up field.

Imagine what that offense would look like with a young, lead-footed, pocket passer at the helm. Oh yeah, we tried that already. Todd Boeckman, anyone?

For better or worse we're stuck with Pryor. So what should Tressel do?

Consider this:

[T]he only time Pryor has looked comfortable the past two weeks was in running the hurry-up, two-minute drill. OSU scored three times in its past four possessions in the hurry-up.

But can you do that all game? Should the Buckeyes turn into Texas Tech, since that appears to be the only system in which its QB can thrive?

No, we shouldn't turn into Texas Tech exactly, but -- as a local sports radio commentator suggested yesterday -- we should model the offense after another successful program plagued with an elusive quarterback with a bum arm: Texas' 2005 National Championship squad.

To compensate for Vince Young's poor decision-making, and limited football smarts, Mack Brown installed an ultimatum offense so easy anyone could run it. It worked as follows:

1.Operate out of a five-wide receiver formation.

2.Have Vince pick one receiver as his lone target in the huddle.
3.After the snap, have Vince read his primary receiver. If the receiver is open, make the throw. If the receiver isn't open, run.
It's that simple. Pryor should be coached to run like hell the second he smells something fishy. Sure, it might not turn him into a Sunday starting signal caller. But, does anyone really think he's got a chance of quarterbacking at the next level?

Maintain the kid's confidence, and give the offense the best chance of success. It's not the only choice, but it's the smartest one.

At Ohio State, new faces and few changes

At Ohio State, new faces and few changes
No one talking BCS title, but this team knows expectations in these parts
good article from msnbc.com's Dave Curtis, however, I don't think anything will change until they make some coaching changes (o-line, off and def cord.)

COLUMBUS, Ohio - They tried to spice up the spring game at Ohio State. From conventional scoring structure (no points for "explosive plays") to Jim Tressel's red Hawaiian shirt to a national spring game record 95,722 fans inside Ohio Stadium, the Buckeyes wanted more than a scrimmage out of Saturday's festivities.
Yet a half hour deep, the day felt like just another weekend in the Big Ten. The Gray side led the Scarlet 3-0. The teams combined to provide a punt for every point. A little foliage and one side nicknamed the Hawkeyes would have made this seem real familiar.
So it goes with the Buckeyes — although things might appear to change, everything ends up about the same.
And so it will be in 2009. Tressel's ninth Ohio State squad will rely on a Sanzenbacher and a Spitler, a Herron and a Homan. These aren't popular names in May. But come December, after another finish around the top of the Big Ten and during preparation for another BCS bowl, they'll be as well known as Laurinaitis, Jenkins and Wells.
Sure, Ohio State needs an overhaul. Just place the winter's Fiesta Bowl depth chart next to a list of projected starters for the fall. On offense, the Buckeyes boast a new tailback, new tight end, two new starting receivers and three new linemen. The numbers seem daunting, even for this perennial powerhouse.
"The last time we played," Tressel said, "there were 28 seniors and three juniors who aren't here. This is our team now."
And this new team knows the expectations in these parts. The last national title came in 2002, but OSU has played in two other BCS championships and six BCS games in seven years.
Feel free to add another to that list right now. This is far from Tressel's best group, and the schedule includes a visit from USC and a presumptive conference championship game in November at Penn State. But given the changes and the challenges, there's a confidence here that things will work out by Thanksgiving.
"That's why a place like Ohio State is great," receiver Dane Sanzenbacher said. "You always have that great recruiting class coming in to replace the guys who are going."
Fitting that such a thought would arise on the first day of the NFL draft. Everyone in the locker room figured that by night's end, the core of the Buckeyes' recent success — running back Beanie Wells, corner Malcolm Jenkins, linebacker James Laurinaitis — would know where they'd begin their pro careers. During the day, even with the discretion necessary to evaluate a spring game (like we said, the Hawkeyes weren't here), their replacements showed the drop-off might be minimal.
For starters, Wells' former backups looked strong Saturday. Expect a season-long fight for playing time involving Dan Herron, Brandon Saine and Marcus Williams.
And then there's quarterback Terrelle Pryor, now a sophomore phenom, who has more in his legs than Saturday's five-carry, minus-17-yard performance.
Sanzenbacher, who sat Saturday with a bad knee, will team with deep threats Ray Small and Taurian Washington outside. Small and Washington each caught a Pryor touchdown pass Saturday, cementing themselves as the successors to Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline.
The defense figures to struggle minus Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman and Jenkins in every facet. Ross Homan, the lone returning starting linebacker, said he still looks for his former teammates between plays on the field, or when he walks into position meetings.
"It's crazy not having James and Marcus in there," he said.
Don't expect that feeling to hang around until September.
Tressel has veteran reserves Austin Spitler and Tyler Moeller high on the depth chart now, but heralded sophomore Etienne Sabino will soon grab one of those spots. And if Lawrence Wilson's health doesn't abandon him for a third consecutive year, this defense won't slip at all.
Nobody outside the program is thinking national championship with this team. A matchup with Florida, Oklahoma or Texas would look like last year's 35-3 loss to USC.
But all those departed big names couldn't vault Ohio State past the best teams in the country either. Laurinaitis, Wells and the rest made the Buckeyes the class of the Big Ten and put them, at worst, atop the nation's second tier of teams. Even with all the defections, Pryor and the replacements can maintain that status.
Wait and see. Ohio State will win double-digit games again, and play in a BCS game again. Nothing ever changes around here.



Over 95,000 see Pryor star in OSU spring game
Quarterback throws two long touchdown passes in 30 seconds

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A national spring game record crowd of 95,722 came out to enjoy the high temperatures and watch Terrelle Pryor throw two long touchdown passes in 30 seconds, leading the Gray over the Scarlet 23-3 on Saturday at sun-drenched Ohio Stadium.
The 80-degree weather played a big role in the attendance, which topped the 92,138 Alabama drew for Nick Saban’s coaching debut in 2007.
Ohio State fans paid $5 per ticket, with the bulk of the money going to local charities. Many showed up in tank tops and shorts to soak up the sun on the warmest day of the year while watching Pryor strut his stuff.
Pryor broke open a close scrimmage with touchdown passes of 44 yards to Taurian Washington and 42 yards to Ray Small late in the second half. Pryor started as a freshman for last year’s 10-3 Buckeyes team.

College Football Comes Easy for Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor

good article on Pryor from www.espn.com

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- More than once after a game this season, Terrelle Pryor noted how college football isn't all that different from the Pennsylvania high school scene he dominated as the nation's No. 1 recruit.
After helping Ohio State stomp Michigan State, 45-7, on Oct. 18, Pryor told reporters, "It's just like high school." The line became Pryor's trademark this fall as he won Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and led Ohio State to another BCS bowl appearance as the starting quarterback.
"Liar," Buckeyes senior tight end Rory Nicol said. "But Terrelle's from PA [Pennsylvania], I'm from PA, too, so I'm allowed to say that. He's a good athlete, man."
Such a good athlete that Pryor's transition from high school to college has been smoother than many had expected, even for a freshman who came to Ohio State with unparalleled hype. Pryor has had his growing pains, but he led the Big Ten in pass efficiency (152.1) and posted an 8-1 mark as the starter.
With small-forward size and a smooth, seemingly effortless running style, Pryor at times looked like the best player on the field, just like he was at Jeannette Senior High School.
Could it really be that easy?
"You can't really argue with him," senior cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. "He was just in high school last year, so he comes in, he's doing amazing things as a freshman. It kind of is just like high school."
During summer workouts, Jenkins did his part to make Pryor realize he wasn't in high school, but the freshman met the challenge.
"The first time we did 7-on-7 with Terrelle, I was calling him out, like every play, and he didn't back down," Jenkins said. "He threw the ball at me like six times in a row, didn't complete any, but he's just that type of guy. He's not going to back down."
Pryor's ability to perform in the spotlight at Ohio State enhances his claim that the jump from high school isn't as big as many suggest.
Despite Ohio State's poor performance against USC on Sept. 13, Pryor didn't flinch, completing 7 of 9 passes. He was at his best on the road in Big Ten play, leading a game-winning touchdown drive in the closing minutes at Wisconsin and showcasing his skills and maturity against Michigan State, Northwestern and Illinois.
In five road games, Pryor accounted for eight touchdowns (5 pass, 3 rush) and threw only one interception.
"As each game went along and he went through different things, we got to see him react," fullback Brandon Smith said. "That definitely helped us gain confidence in him, and I'm sure it helped him gain confidence in himself. Each week has been a steppingstone for him. Hopefully, he can put it all together for this one."
The spotlight on Pryor has never been as bright as it will be Monday, when he leads No. 10 Ohio State against No. 3 Texas in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (Fox, 8 p.m. ET). The heavily favored Longhorns lead the nation in sacks and boast arguably the nation's top pass-rusher in end Brian Orakpo.
This ain't high school.
"I'm sure he'll feel a difference this game," Buckeyes wide receiver Brian Hartline said.
Pryor's presence strengthens the link between Ohio State and Texas, who split two meetings in 2005 and 2006. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound freshman is most often compared to former Texas quarterback Vince Young, the dual-threat maestro who led his team to a national title and finished as one of the greatest players in college football history.
Texas coach Mack Brown mentored Young and recruited Pryor, a players he calls a "game-changer."
"I don't think anything's fair in comparison except when you go back and look at the same stage," Brown said. "I was able to see Vince at this stage and Vince wasn't playing at this stage, so really, Terrelle's ahead of him at the same time frame. We thought it was good for Vince to get a year to redshirt.
"If you've got a trigger guy that can [take] you all the way, he's the type of guy that can do that if he keeps progressing as a player and stays healthy."
Texas senior defensive tackle Roy Miller sees similarities in Pryor's running style and that of Young. But after seeing No. 10 as the finished product in burnt orange, Miller knows Pryor has a long way to go.
"He's one of the greatest players who ever played college football," Miller said of Young. "I'm not saying Pryor couldn't be and he may. He has all the tools to be Vince Young. He has a lot of potential to be a great quarterback, but we'll see. Only time will tell.
"Who knows? He might show up as Vince Young on Monday."
Pryor didn't show up Friday, one of two freshman starters coach Jim Tressel declined to bring to Ohio State's media day. It was a reminder that Pryor, despite already being one of the faces of the program, remains a college freshman.
The quarterback has had his share of freshman moments, holding the ball too long and trying to make the big play when the safe one would suffice. The latter hurt Pryor in an Oct. 25 loss to Penn State, as his fourth-quarter fumble sparked a Nittany Lions rally.
Pryor also showed his age after the game, blaming himself and taking the loss especially hard. His first bout with failure served as an important step for not only Pryor, but his teammates.
"I was interested to see how he'd bounce back from that," Hartline said. "I was glad he did take it to heart, though. It showed that there's passion for the team as a young guy, but I was never really worried as far as him bouncing back."
When reminded of Pryor's line about the high school-to-college jump, Hartline smiled and shook his head.
"I've heard that," he said. "Terrelle's a good guy, a funny guy. He didn't really mean it in a cocky way. He was probably just being dead honest, like, 'I don't know any difference.'
"It's obviously not easy for some, but hey, if he thinks it's easy, I'm glad. I'm glad he's my quarterback."

Some Good Articles on Terrelle Pryor and the Buckeyes Win at Wisconsin

Some Good Articles on Terrelle Pryor and the Buckeyes Win at Wisconsin
www.cbssportsline.com
Time is on Pryor's side, and soon opponents will run and hideGet them now, people. I'm talking to you, Big Ten. And to you, college football powerhouses elsewhere. Get them now. Get the Ohio State Buckeyes now, this year, while Terrelle Pryor is still a kid.
Because when he becomes a man, it's over.
Maybe it's too late. Maybe he became a man Saturday night, when he led the No. 14 Buckeyes to a 20-17 victory at No. 18 Wisconsin. Maybe Pryor, a true freshman, emerged from his cocoon at Camp Randall Stadium, where he drove the Buckeyes 80 yards late in the fourth quarter, scoring the game-winning touchdown himself on an ice-cold 11-yard keeper with 68 seconds left.
Maybe it's already over.
Probably not. Terrelle Pryor is still a kid, prone to silly mistakes, as he showed against Wisconsin. He holds the ball too long, refuses to throw it away, retreats deeper and deeper into the pocket because he's so confident, so good, that he believes he can turn nothing into something. The stats will show he ran for just 20 yards against Wisconsin because he kept taking sacks he didn't need to take. He also threw an interception on an ill-advised jump ball 50 yards down the field. Good as he was Saturday night, Pryor wasn't anywhere near as good as he's going to be.
So get them now, people. I'm talking to you, Penn State. And to you, Michigan State. And to you, Illinois. (Not to you, Michigan. You have no chance. Not now. And not until Pryor is gone.)
Get the Buckeyes now, because this team is going to be awesome. Because this player, this one incredible player, is going to be unstoppable.
"He's coming of age," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said afterward.
We've seen Pryor's kind before, and his kind won a national championship. His kind didn't win the Heisman Trophy, but mistakes happen, and that was a mistake. Because in 2005, Texas quarterback Vince Young was the best player in college football.
In 2005, Young was the best college player since Herschel Walker. He made Southern California look silly in the Rose Bowl, and someday Terrelle Pryor will make someone that good look that silly as well. It won't happen this season, because Pryor is just 19 years old. When Young threw for 3,000 yards and ran for 1,000 yards in 2005, he was a junior. A fourth-year junior. He had redshirted his first year on campus, then shared playing time as a redshirt freshman, when he threw for 1,155 yards and ran for 998. He didn't become The Man until he was a sophomore.
Pryor has no such luxury. Neither does Tressel, who decided three games ago that Pryor has to play every meaningful down as a true freshman. It's too bad for Ohio State that Tressel came to that conclusion after the 35-3 loss Southern California, which was the last start made by Ohio State's Wally Pipp Todd Boeckman. Then again, without injured tailback Beanie Wells, Pryor wouldn't have been able to beat USC by himself. Not this year. Not as a true freshman.
Next year? Or the year after? Don't bet against him.
When Terrelle Pryor becomes a man -- and that might not happen until 2010, though my money's on 2009 -- the Buckeyes will become unbeatable. This is Ohio State, and that's Tressel, so you know the team will always have a stout defense. It will always have effective special teams. Jim Tressel will have a running back and an offensive line, too.
Give Tressel those pieces, and then give him a difference-maker of a quarterback like Pryor, and it's over. The Buckeyes will run roughshod over the Big Ten, and when they face a great team like USC or Florida or LSU or Oklahoma for the national championship, Pryor will win it for them. He's that good.
Or he will be.
What he was Saturday night was good enough to beat Wisconsin at home after dark, two factors that, in conjunction, have made the Badgers almost unbeatable. They had won their last 11 night games at Camp Randall Stadium, a massive bowl of Bloody Mary that literally wobbles when the crowd of 81,000 gets going.
It's completely enclosed, a mammoth scoreboard in the north end zone walling off the only place for sound to escape. Camp Randall is insanely loud, but Pryor acted as if he couldn't hear a thing. He signaled plays while standing in the shotgun formation, and after first downs while his teammates were pumping their fists and the crowd was groaning, Pryor was calmly trotting to the sideline to get the next play from Tressel.
On the field, Pryor is the spitting image of Vince Young. He glides when he hits the corner, eating up yardage in shocking amounts, or he calmly picks his way through defenders between the tackles. On the first play from scrimmage Saturday he found himself alone on the edge with Wisconsin linebacker DeAndre Levy, the reigning national defensive player of the week. Levy closed in for the tackle ... and whiffed.
When players do hit Pryor, he drags them -- and sometimes drags the entire pile, as he did once on the Buckeyes' final scoring drive. "Big body," said Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema. "Tough to bring down."
When Pryor throws it, he flicks the ball with a bizarre motion that won't get it done in the NFL, but for the college game is plenty good enough.
With Pryor, that vintage OSU defense and this All-American tailback -- Wells ran for 168 yards Saturday -- Ohio State might just be good enough to contend for the national title this year. That's doubtful, because lots of teams have to lose between now and December, and lose badly enough to fall behind the Buckeyes.
But as the season rolls along and Pryor and Wells put up their numbers, Top 25 voters will take note. Ohio State will be judged like a college basketball team that was once banged up but is completely whole for March Madness. The USC loss will always be a loss, but it will become a loss with an asterisk. Whether that would be enough for the 11-1 Buckeyes to get into the BCS title game is an unanswerable question in early October.
But this is a stone cold fact, and it is directed to anyone and everyone with plans of beating the Buckeyes:
Beat them now. Beat them now, before Terrelle Pryor decides it's too late.

Pryor comes of age in dramatic Wisconsin win
www.espn.com
In the euphoria of Ohio State's dramatic 20-17 win over Wisconsin, Terrelle Pryor caught up with James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins in the tunnel outside the visitors' locker room.
Ohio State's freshman front man had a message for the senior stars.
"We're giving him a hug and he says, 'I'm fighting for you guys,'" Laurinaitis said. "He cares about these guys that are older and the history of Ohio State. He cares about his future and he wants to be a big part of that."
Pryor took a big step toward solidifying the team's future Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium. The 81,608 on hand witnessed a coronation in the final 6:26, a true freshman quarterback doing things that true freshman quarterbacks aren't supposed to do.
With Ohio State trailing 17-13 against a team that doesn't lose at home (16 straight wins) or at night (11 straight wins, six at home), Pryor took the field for a drive that won't soon be forgotten. In case the pressure wasn't strong enough already, Pryor's backfield mate Chris "Beanie" Wells turned up the heat.
"Beanie said, 'You're in a man's world. This is what it is. So are you gonna be a man or a kid?'" Pryor recalled.
According to his birth certificate, Pryor is still a kid, a few months past his 19th birthday. But he answered Wells and the rest of the country a few minutes later, when he scooted into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown with 1:08 left in the game.
Recapping Pryor's heroics on the final drive:
On third-and-6 from the Buckeyes' 24-yard line, he found Brian Hartline over the middle for 19 yards on what head coach Jim Tressel called his third read.
On second-and-15 from the Buckeyes' 38-yard line, Pryor again found Hartline, again on the third read, this time for 27 yards.
On third-and-1 from the Wisconsin 15-yard line, Pryor plunged forward for the first down.
Two plays later, Pryor ran the option, recognized the cornerback drifting to Wells, kept the ball and darted into the end zone.
"I told him he's going to take a step into manhood right now,'" Wells said. "He told me he was ready for it and he capped it off with a touchdown.
"Once he pulls it down, I mean, it's a sight to see."
It wasn't a perfect night for Pryor. At times, he looked his age, taking a 16-yard sack in the first quarter and looking reluctant to throw the ball away or to open receivers.
But he never lost his composure, despite the setting or the significance of the situation.
"Terrelle likes to reassure me that he's fine," Tressel said, "and he is. No one was saying he wasn't fine. ... He was in the toughest full-game battle that he's been in in his college career thus far."
Last week, Pryor lashed out at ESPN's Mark May, who questioned how the freshman would perform on a big stage in a rough environment. Saturday night's performance provided the answers everyone was looking for, including the guy wearing No. 2.
"I can see what they mean, but I just want to show people that I can play," Pryor said. "I'm a decent football player."
He proved it on the field and then in the tunnel with the senior co-captains.
"The way all these kids are recruited nowadays, they come in and everyone's saying, 'They're going to be the next greatest thing to ever walk,'" Laurinaitis said. "To have these guys have the humility they do, this freshman class, and Terrelle leads that class, he's out there fighting for the seniors."
Added Jenkins: "We talked before the game how everybody needs to play for each other, not for the glory of the stats. That was just his way of letting us know that he played for us."
Pryor admits he likes direct challenges, like the one he received from Wells.
But the most important challenge went unsaid.
"I don't want to let my seniors down," Pryor said. "That'd be the worst thing ever. ... I grew up."

BUCKS BELIEVE TERRELLE PRYOR WILL CATCH ON FAST!!!

Tressel thinks Pryor will catch on fast


Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Terrelle Pryor's toughest tests this fall might not come on the practice field or in the meeting rooms, but when he ventures outside the Ohio State football complex.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel thinks top recruit Terrelle Pryor will catch on fast.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel expects Pryor, the nation's top-ranked incoming freshman, to be ahead of the curve in grasping the Buckeyes' offense and the demands it places on a quarterback. Tressel cited Pryor's extensive experience as a high school star -- lengthy playoff runs allowed him to play in 16 games in each of the last two seasons -- and his familiarity with different types of systems.
"They did all kinds of spread, wing-T versions, a lot of different things," Tressel said. "He has a little bit of an advantage. He's played so many games and done so many different things that it's just a matter of ... I don't think we do anything that he hasn't done. Now he will need to learn what we call it. I don't think there's going to be an unusual strain on him because of that."
What could weigh on Pryor is the amount of attention placed on him as an incoming freshman. Though senior Todd Boeckman will start at quarterback this season, much of the preseason buzz has centered on how Ohio State will use the multitalented Pryor this season.
Tressel said Pryor looks forward to learning from Boeckman, but as a perfectionist, the freshman wants to contribute from Day 1.
"He wants to please everybody," Tressel said. "He wants to make sure he's answering the question right or throwing the ball to the right place. ... I don't think you can disregard all the attention that he's got. He wants to come though. That's the kind of kid he is."
Many have wondered whether Ohio State will use Boeckman and Pryor much like Florida used senior Chris Leak and freshman Tim Tebow in 2006. Training camp will largely determine the Buckeyes' course of action, but Pryor won't wait long to get on the field.
"Especially in the early season, we've always tried to use multiple quarterbacks, just because over the course of the season, you never know how health is going to go and so forth," Tressel said. "Any time you can maximize the talent that you have. It's not unlike using some other receivers at different times. Absolutely, (using two quarterbacks) can happen."
How much time do you think Pryor will see this year? I don't think Tressel will bench Todd B. I have a feeling that we'll see a lot of him on 3rd downs. click on the comment below and leave your opinion......

He's a Buckeye!!!!!

HERE IS THE ARTICLE FROM WWW.RIVALS.COM
Mike Farrell
Recruiting Analyst

Quarterback Terrelle Pryor, the nation's No. 1 high school football player, has finally made his college choice.
When Signing Day arrived in February, the 6-foot-5, 235-pounder from Jeannette, Pa., wasn't ready to make his decision.

As time progressed, he knew he was headed to the Big Ten. However, he had yet to decide between Ohio State and Michigan. After much research and discussion, Pryor announced on Wednesday he's going to be a Buckeye.

"It was just the right fit," Pryor told Rivals.com late Tuesday night. "The coaches, the comfort level, the players and the signing class they had. I am very comfortable with all of it, and I became friendly with the other recruits throughout the process.

"But in the end it came down to what was right for me. And after a lot of thinking, talking and consideration, it came down to Ohio State."

Pryor was concerned about early playing time at Ohio State because the Buckeyes boast all-conference quarterback Todd Boeckman, but the overall fit in Columbus just felt better.



Terrelle Pryor finally ended the suspense and announced for Ohio State Wednesday at his high school.
"I can't see myself sitting and not playing, that's the tough part," Pryor said. "I certainly don't want to redshirt. But being brought along a little slowly might be the best thing for me in the long run, and I have to look at that. I'm not sure if being thrown to the wolves and starting from Day One would be best for me. I know college is a big step up and there's a lot to learn."

There has been talk of Pryor being utilized like Tim Tebow was during his freshman year at Florida.

"If that happens, then that's what happens," he said. "I'm going in to compete as hard as I can and we'll see where I fit in. I trust the coaches to use me the best way they can."

Michigan's zone-read offense under Rich Rodriguez was very tempting to Pryor, especially since Rodriguez has had so much success with it at West Virginia. Without Pryor, it doesn't appear the Wolverines have the type of quarterback necessary to run Rodriguez's scheme effectively.

"Michigan is a great school and it was a tough decision," Pryor said. "I like the coaches there. I've known them since they were at West Virginia. I seriously considered them right up until the end, but Ohio State was where I felt it."

Ohio State hasn't typically run a zone-read offense, which was a concern for Pryor. However, after further research, he feels he'll be a better quarterback in the end because of it.

"Troy Smith ran some zone-read stuff early in his career, and then he developed into a pocket passer and did a lot of stuff out of the shotgun," Pryor said. "He became a better quarterback - not just an athlete - by the time he was done. I feel I can do the same. Both schools said they would utilize my athletic ability in the offense, but I think I can be more well-rounded at Ohio State."

Pryor is happy to be done with the decision.

"This has been very tough," he said. "I didn't really like the attention, and it got worse after I didn't decide. But I had to do what was right for me and my family. I'm excited about the decision."

Terrelle Pryor to Decide this Week! Don't hold your Breath!

Here is the article from www.rivals.com
Rivals.com recruiting staff
It's finally over, or at least it will be by the end of the week.
The recruiting process for Jeannette, Pa., quarterback Terrelle Pryor, the nation's No. 1 player, will end this week when he announces where he will play college football. Pryor has said publicly it is down to two schools, but won't say which two. Here's Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Mike Farrell's take on the situation.
Pryor led his basketball team to a 76-72 overtime win over Strawberry Mansion in the Pennsylvania Class AA title game Saturday.
"I spoke to Terrelle late Sunday night after hearing about the Associated Press article where he said he was deciding this week," said Farrell. "I knew he was going to say something about his football recruiting situation after that game, but wasn't sure if he was going to narrow things down, give a date of his decision or what. We had discussed some things off the record; he just didn't want it out there and he had some good reasons. I think he knew last week."
The timing of the 6-foot-6, 235-pounder's public comments shouldn't be overlooked according to Farrell.
"Terrelle was hoping he would be playing for a state title in basketball on Penn State's campus on Saturday, so there were certain things he didn't want public last week and still doesn't really want out there," Farrell continued. "He has done his research. He has talked to the coaches - as well as players and recruits - from his top two teams. Now it seems like he's ready to get it over with even though he has until April 1."
Farrell feels the two schools he's choosing between are obvious.
"To me, it's Ohio State and Michigan," Farrell said. "Had he eliminated Penn State before the basketball title game in State College, things could have gotten a little ugly or at least distracted the basketball team. There could have been some signs, some hecklers, just some general distractions that he didn't want. I also don't think he has ever wanted to disrespect Penn State in any way. Some of the things he's said about Penn State like not liking the area and such, that's just who he is ? he's honest and tells it like it is. He loves coach Tom Bradley and has great respect for Joe Paterno, he's always said that. I know he really wanted to win the state title and didn't want his football issues to get in the way of things for his basketball teammates."
Pryor scored 23 points and pulled down eight rebounds to lead his team to a 76-72 overtime win over Strawberry Mansion in the Class AA title game Saturday. Shortly thereafter, he told the AP he's going to sign his letter of intent and end the recruiting process.
"He didn't even remember saying that he narrowed it down to two or whatever and didn't know who he said it to, but he said it was accurate," said Farrell. "He has a great deal of respect for all the coaches that have recruited him, so he doesn't want to say one team finished second or third. I expect to see four hats (Oregon, Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State) on the table if he does the hat deal when deciding, but he's down to two for sure.
"He wouldn't tell me which two though, and I didn't press him," Farrell said. "But look at it this way. He waited until after he finished his game at Penn State to make this announcement, and he was on campus strictly for hoops - which means he never took his planned official visit to Happy Valley. He has never been to Oregon, so that leaves Ohio State and Michigan."
Ohio State and Michigan look to be the final two for Pryor.
Pryor will talk to the head coaches at his final two schools this week before deciding.
"He spoke to Joe Paterno Sunday night and I got the impression that coach Paterno was not one of those two head coaches," Farrell said. "I think he talks to Rich Rodriguez and Jim Tressel this week, talks it over one more time with his family and then decides."
Farrell said Pryor had hoped to visit Penn State as well as take day trips to Ohio State and Michigan with his mother before deciding.
"He said that's not happening now," Farrell continued. "He said it's his decision and his parents are backing him all the way. Is there a chance he sneaks in a visit to Penn State between now and when he decides? There's always that chance, but it didn't sound like it was in the plans reading between the lines."
If Penn State is truly out, is Pryor's father, Craig, OK with that? After all, it was Craig who wanted his son to delay signing so Penn State could get an official visit.
"I think he wanted to take his time and make sure he was making the right choice," Farrell said. "He respected his family's input, which is why he held off on Signing Day. His dad wanted him to give another look to Penn State. I know Terrelle talked to a few Western Pennsylvania guys currently on Penn State's team recently about the coaching situation up there and the atmosphere. He did some research on his own, and I think his dad is good with that."
So if it's Ohio State and Michigan, who wins?
"To me, I'd be stunned if he picked anyplace but Ohio State," Farrell stated. "He did say he was still doing research on Michigan and that he didn't know, as of Sunday night, where he was going. But I think he's pretty sure. He took that one-day trip to Ohio State for a basketball game recently, and he's friendly with Ohio State signees like Michael Brewster and J.B. Shugarts. He really likes the area, the coaching staff and everything. There have been stunning decisions before and I've been wrong before, but Ohio State is my guess and has been for a long time."
Did Pryor ever attempt to get to Penn State for that official visit?
"I think he was going to take it the same weekend his father, Craig, had emergency heart surgery a couple of weekends ago," Farrell said. "There was a small window of opportunity to visit Penn State, but it didn't happen."
As for a date for the decision, Pryor indicated to Farrell he was still unsure of the particulars.
"I got a text from him Monday morning telling me I'd know when he does," Farrell said. "He's trying to work that out with his coach and principal. It is looking like it will be either Thursday or Friday of this week. He knows he's going to have to do a news conference, although he'd rather just pick a school and end this.
"A lot of people said he did this for the attention, but I know that's not true. He barely spoke to any media following Signing Day and some of the criticism really hit him hard. Once he decided to delay his decision, he wanted to wait until basketball was over to choose. It's over now, and it's decision time."
And so the Terrelle Pryor saga, arguably the most hyped college football recruiting decision in history, is coming to an end.

Terrelle Pryor, is he Worthe all of the Hype?

The number 1 football recruit and 28th ranked basketball recruit in the class of 2008 according to rivals.com was recently in the news again, but this time it was for a brawl that occurred after his basketball team's game against Pittsburgh North Catholic. Pryor was evidently held back by an assistant coach as players began to fight after they shook hands. This isn't the first time that Terrelle has been around a bad situation. In October, he was escorted out of Kennywood Park in Pennsylvania for disorderly conduct.
Yes, he is just an 18 year old kid, but isn't that a blip on the radar screen if you are a college coach recruiting this young man? Obviously not, because he is still being hounded by Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon and Penn State. I am concerned, because I am an Ohio State fan and I have always thought that Jim Tressel recruited well rounded student-athletes. Ohio State fans already know what it is like to have a pre-madonna. (Maurice Clarette)
Watch some of his highlights from football and basketball games and see what you think. Bumping into players on purpose, taunting players, jumping on the scores table after a big dunk, etc.. Some players do get emotional and that is fine, but some athletes can go to far.
Do not get me wrong. He is a tremendous athlete! 6-6, 225 and awesome athletic ability. My concern is how is he going to handle 102, 000 at the Horseshoe, or The Big House? Classes, student life, practice, teammates, and most importantly, authority?
The red flag should have been raised when he decided not to sign and visit other schools. That is fine, but these schools are holding a scholarship for him and one of them will get burned when he doesn't sign with them. He has until April 1st to make his final decision, but by then all of the supposed instant impact players are already enrolled in their schools and have started Spring practice. Which brings up another reason of concern. Why isn't he enrolling early, so he can participate in Spring practice? Most of us would say because of basketball, which he is still playing. That is just a question to ponder because if I thought that football could possibly be my profession, I would want to get a head start and get to practice early. Maybe he thinks he does not need to enroll early because he is good enough to step on the field already.
Pryor will be at Penn State Saturday for an unofficial visit as Jeannette plays in the Pennsylvania state finals. Whoever lands Terrelle Pryor will have to wait and see whether he is over hyped or not, but for now, I think he will need a lot of guidance.

Terrelle Pryor Still Undecided.... Imagine That!

Terrelle Pryor again delayed his signing today when he spoke about not having enough time to really go through the recruiting process. Give me a break! Obviously, this kid has got Maurece Clarrette written all over him. So, as a huge Ohio State fan I say to Mr. Pryor, "Go to Michigan because it will me much more fun kicking your butt their, then babysitting you here at OSU!"

Check out what http://cbssportsline/ says in this wire arctile

Which school? No. 1 recruit Pryor still pondering
Feb. 6, 2008CBSSports.com wire reports

JEANNETTE, Pa. -- Terrelle Pryor's decision -- or, actually, non-decision -- gives Penn State coach Joe Paterno and Oregon's Mike Bellotti a second chance. Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez gets a reprieve, if only a temporary one.
COMMENTARY
Pryor postpones decision after JoePa takes Jeannette by storm by Dennis Dodd
• What's Your Take? Tell Dennis your opinion!
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who expected a firm Pryor commitment on Wednesday? He is getting a lot more nervous.
Pryor, the Pittsburgh-area quarterback who is considered the nation's top unsigned high school football recruit, backed off his apparent choice of Ohio State on signing day and said he needs more time to make up his mind.
Pryor's self-imposed delay means Oregon and home state Penn State are back in the race after the multi-sport star apparently had narrowed his choices to Ohio State and Michigan. On Tuesday night, Pryor felt comfortable with Ohio State, only to change his mind after waking up Wednesday.
"I had my mind set last night that I was going to go ... but Penn State is hitting me hard and I don't think I gave them a fair chance and I want to take a visit there," Pryor said. "Just check out their campus. Just give him (coach Joe Paterno) a chance; he's a great guy. I just think I should go there (to visit)."
The groans from Columbus could almost be heard a state away in Jeannette, where Pryor's image appears on a billboard at the edge of the town of 10,000 and his every move is watched with great interest.
'I'd like to take more time and be fair to all the coaches that recruited me,' Terrelle Pryor says. (AP)
"He hasn't had time to make an informed, intelligent decision," Jeannette coach Ray Reitz said. "Right now, waiting is the best decision for him in the long run."
Pryor's other career is complicating matters. He is one of the Pennsylvania's best high school basketball players, and Jeannette is about to begin tournament play. With most tournament games on the weekends, it could be difficult for Pryor to quickly schedule his Penn State and Oregon visits.
"We played 16 football games, won the state championship (in mid-December) and two days later we jumped into basketball," Pryor said. "I haven't had that much time to get involved in the recruiting process. I'd like to take more time and be fair to all the coaches that recruited me, who spent a lot of time recruiting me."
Another issue: Pryor's father, Craig, has received numerous visits from Penn State coaches and apparently wants his son to play there.
"Me and my dad had a battle of differences," said Pryor, the only Pennsylvania player to rush for more than 4,000 yards and pass for 4,000 in his career. "They've been hitting my father hard. They been to my dad's house so many times. My dad's in love with them. (Penn State assistant) Tom Bradley probably knows the town more than he does."
Pryor's decision to wait is uncommon, as most top players have long since committed by signing day, but he doesn't have to sign with any school until April 1. Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch, a family friend who was asked by Pryor to give him advice, doesn't think he will need that long.
"This is the decision he has to live with the next four years," Batch said. "I told him, 'Don't make the decision under pressure.'"
Pryor has the speed, size and the athletic ability to be a Vince Young-type quarterback in college, and he is rated as the nation's No. 1 player by Scouts.com and Rivals.com. He was the MVP last month in the U.S. Army All-American game in San Antonio. But there are questions about his arm strength and the quality of his opponents in the second smallest of Pennsylvania's four classes.
The other notable quarterbacks to emerge from the Pittsburgh area over the years -- Dan Marino, Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana among them -- all played against stronger competition at the time.
"To me, he's a glamour guy who's overrated," said Bill Urbanik, a longtime NFL and college assistant who does player analysis for Takkle.com. "He'll be good but not great. He's a power forward, but now you want him to play point guard. I've seen too many big guys fail at quarterback."
Urbanik, who grew up in Donora, Pa., near Jeannette, also said, "Put him in Texas or California and he'd be pretty good, but not No. 1 in the country. There, they all can run like he can run, and they'll catch him. He doesn't have great quickness."

The Nation's #1 Recruit, Terrelle Pryor has a Big Decision to Make as Signing Day Nears

February 6, 2008, could be the shot heard round the world all over again. The nation's number one high school football recruit must chose where to continue his career. Will it be Ohio State, Michigan, LSU, or Oregon? That's what everyone is asking themselves right now.

I have never seen an athlete that has captured the entire state of Ohio and Michigan like Pryor has done. What will he do, who will he chose? That's all you hear, and see on the web. I honestly think he is starting to toy with these schools by saying who is in the lead and wearing their clothing. He wore a Michigan sweatshirt before the High School All-American game, then placed a Buckeye Leaf on his helmet. So, you tell me, is he getting too cocky, or over his head, is his true colors starting to unfold before all of us that believe he will be the savior?

He says he would also like to play basketball. He is a tremendous talent and a top 100 basketball player (scouts inc), but is he really going to play hoops and take the chance of losing millions of dollars by getting hurt? What do you think? How many coaches will be HONESTLY willing to take that chance? I am sure they are all going to tell him that he can play both right away, but in the end, he will be playing football and only football.

I believe there have been plenty of number one quarterbacks coming out of high school and end up falling flat on their face. Jimmy Clausen anyone........ I don't think Pryor will fall, but someone will need to keep a close eye on him. Sometimes these players seem to get way ahead of themselves. Maurice Clarette????

In the end, I think Terrelle Pryor will be a tremendous asset to any football program, but it is going to take a great coach to truly bring out the best in a pre-madonna. If he goes to my beloved Buckeyes then great. If he doesn't, then I will not lose any sleep over it at least not until late November when a certain team comes to visit the Horseshoe.