QB/WR Terrelle Pryor ('10 Rose, '11 Sugar MVP)

[BUCKYLE]

Which was his fourth year in the program.

Let's review who our QBs have been under JT.

2001 - Belisari 4th year player
2002 - Krenzel 4th year player
2003 - Krenzel 5th year player
2004a - Zwick 3rd year player
2004b - Smith 3rd year player
2005 - Smith 4th year player
2006 - Smith 5th year player
2007 - Boeckman 5th year player
2008a - Bocekman 6th year player
2008b - Pryor 1st year player
2009 - Pryor 2nd year player

So you're saying Pryor needs to age at least one year by next week? Interesting.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

So you're saying Pryor needs to age at least one year by next week? Interesting.

If he knew what was good for him, he would have come to Ohio State as a Junior, I think is what Oh8ch is saying.

 

[Oh8ch]

If he knew what was good for him, he would have come to Ohio State as a Junior, I think is what Oh8ch is saying.

If he knew what was good for him would have gone to UM where QBs are worshiped for their relative inexperience.

Then transferred here for his junior year.

 

[JimsSweaterVest]

TP, it's a new week and a new opponent. Hold your head up high, learn the lessons of Saturday, come even closer to your coaches and teammates, and the team can improve!

We will all be rooting for you big time this Saturday, and remember the big prize, November 21!

 

[joefoshow]

The problem with TP is that it seems that he decides what he is going to do before the play starts. He either is going to stay in the pocket no matter what or scramble and air it out which usually ends up being a INT. He also under throws all the wide-outs which does not give them a fair chance to catch the ball, TP should be thanking them that he has any passing yards at all. He just has gotten worse as the year has gone on.

 

[Buckeyefrankmp]

We have to put some of the blame for Pryor's poor performance on the O-Line. The line is still not blocking well in both the passing and the running games. Saine had 7 attempts for 32 yards. One of those runs was a 20 yarder. That would make the other 6 runs for 12 yards. We talk about Pryor's lack of improvement, but we have to start talking about the O-Lines lack of improvement as well. Last year they were bad as well and they have not gotten better this year. Pryor still needs improvement on reading defenses, needs improvement on his throws, needs to get a little tougher when he runs the ball, needs to look at someone besides Posey when he passes, but his O-Line needs to play better as well.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

In 2004, Troy Smith had four turnovers (3 interceptions and a fumbled pitch) against Purdue (ironically). It was a really bad performance, and at that time it seemed as if Troy would never mature into a legitimate starting quarterback. The very next week, he put up 386 yards and 3 touchdowns in an upset of Michigan.

The point is this - things can "click" pretty quickly for a player, and perhaps Pryor is due for a break-out game.

 

[lord vegas]

In 2004, Troy Smith had four turnovers (3 interceptions and a fumbled pitch) against Purdue (ironically). It was a really bad performance, and at that time it seemed as if Troy would never mature into a legitimate starting quarterback. The very next week, he put up 386 yards and 3 touchdowns in an upset of Michigan.

The point is this - things can "click" pretty quickly for a player, and perhaps Pryor is due for a break-out game.

Thank you, thank you. I find it hilarious that everyone forgets about 'early' Troy Smith. There was calls for him to be removed when he first took over. He seemed an awful like TP, didn't see the field well and was a run first guy. Then out of the blue the game slowed down and we know the outcome. Selective memories us buckeye fans have.

 

[jwinslow]

In 2004, Troy Smith had four turnovers (3 interceptions and a fumbled pitch) against Purdue (ironically). It was a really bad performance, and at that time it seemed as if Troy would never mature into a legitimate starting quarterback. The very next week, he put up 386 yards and 3 touchdowns in an upset of Michigan.

The point is this - things can "click" pretty quickly for a player, and perhaps Pryor is due for a break-out game.

And then he returned to being woeful for most of September the following year, including against lowly SDSU. Other than man-coverage Iowa, Troy was brutal in september.

We all know what happened after that, but even a more natural passer in Troy had coaches pulling their hair out early on.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

How about the genius offensive coaches start calling plays like they did in the last 9 minutes of the game yesterday in the first quarter of all games? It's like they sit there, call the same thing over and over, make no adjustments whatsoever, and then suddenly, while in panic mode, start to actually call plays where Pryor can make good throws.

Just think, if you call those crossing routes and plays across the middle at the beginning of the game, TP just might get comfortable and not press as much. Alas, the same stale offensive bores are calling the plays, and the beat goes on.

Purdue stopped blitzing and only sent 4 = OSU moving the ball. On the last OSU possession, Purdue sent 5-6 guys on 3rd down resulting in the sack for 4th and long. The lack of a pass rush gave Pryor enough time to find an open receiver and having that time let him step into the throws.

At my highschool her name was Cheryl Lum.

I didn't know you went to high school with Mrs. Katt!

Wait, what were you saying about her?

 

[ScarletNGry]

After this game I see one of 2 scenarios playing out. TP can look at it as if the pressure is off due to the loss and play a bit looser or he can keep over thinking it and spiral downward. That is going to be completely up to him. The Oline needs to help for sure, the WR need to help for sure, but TP needs to fix himself and not worry about everyone else.

I have said it before and it still holds true. You can see the look in TP face when a play is called and know if it will be successful or not. He does not seem to have bought into the scheme (if there really is one for this offense) and rarely settles for a short gain or throwing the ball away to play the next down. He is always looking for the homerun now and that is causing most of his turnovers. Sometimes the best play is to take the loss of yards and move on. Both of his fumbles this week were due to bad blocking, that is not TP fault, but he has to know to protect the football and just lose the yards. I know it is easy to say sitting here and I am also one of those that cheers like crazy as I am shaking my head wondering how he got out of those sacks he avoids.

I want what everyone wants.. an offense that is solid and able to move the ball consistantly. That does not appear to be possible at this point so what we need to see is an offense that does not lose the game like we saw this weekend. 5 turnovers is not going to get it done (one is on special teams but still).

I think the entire team read too much into the fact that they have "easy" games over the next few weeks to work on the offense and it showed in the lack of mental toughness this past weekend. TP gets the most blame because he is the QB but there is plenty of blame to go around. At what point do we let him step back and watch a few series to put things back into perspective? A QB that turns the ball over 4 times with no reprecussions is one that will continue to make bad mistakes. I am not talking about benching him but I don't see anyone talking to him on the sidelines. He sits by himself and sulks. Get a coach in his ear, make him hand the ball off more, something needs to happen.

SNG

 

[daddyphatsacs]

In 2004, Troy Smith had four turnovers (3 interceptions and a fumbled pitch) against Purdue (ironically). It was a really bad performance, and at that time it seemed as if Troy would never mature into a legitimate starting quarterback. The very next week, he put up 386 yards and 3 touchdowns in an upset of Michigan.

The point is this - things can "click" pretty quickly for a player, and perhaps Pryor is due for a break-out game.

Thanks for the reminder. A lot of people have a selective memory, thinking that Troy was great right out of the gate. He had his issues, but he matured and became one of the best to ever play at OSU. I'm not saying Pryor will do the same, but he's going to be the guy, whether people like it or not. So why not rally behind him and support him?

I'd love nothing more than to see the crowd give him and the offense a standing ovation this week after a good drive, instead of just groaning for every bad thing they do. The kid, and the offense for that matter, just need to get their confidence back. When Pryor has that break out game I think we'll look back at the Purdue game of 2009 as his turning point. I really believe that too, I still think he's going to be great.

 

[BuckeyeFan 52]

I don't think it's wise to comapare TP to Troy Smith, or Vince Young, or any one else. Terrelle Pryor is not Troy Smith nor is he Vince Young, he's Terrell Pryor.

While I certainly understand that the progression of the two QB's may be compared at their same, relative points in time (sophmore seasons), these are simply two entirely different athletes with differing cirumstances.

Without listing a mirage of statistics btwn the two athletes, I think it's fair to say that while Troy Smith struggled as a sophmore, just as TP is, you could really see the potential in Troy in terms of being a natural QB combined with his athletic ability. Troy's mechanics were rarely questioned, he used is feet very well coming out of his drops, and was able to move up into the pocket. He didn't throw off of his back foot (consistently) and his release was consistent. He had some accuracy issues in 2004, but I beleive he threw a more consistent ball than TP currently does. Troy's biggest flaw was his decision making, trying to decifer when to throw versus when to run versus when to throw the ball away.

I truly believe that TP will improve going forward, he has 2 and a half more years to figure it out. Terrelle just has different issues than Troy had. His decision making abilities (or lack thereof) have been criticized (ad nauseum), and that is clearly his biggest hurdle. I think TP still has a long way to go in terms of his mechanics, which means the difference between hitting his receivers between the numbers or throwing an interception. His foot work is poor, he throws off of his back foot the majority of the time he's in the pocket, hence his accuracy is inconsistent.

I'm not convinced that this current offensive design is the right way to move forward with TP as the QB. I don't understand why we continue to line up 4 and 5 wide and ask TP to make a first, second, and possibly third read, when the kid is struggling mentally, especially this past Saturday. Everyone has a bad game, and TP had a bad game vs Purdue. He's allowed to make mistakes, just not 5 times over. He's clearly shaken at this point.

I know these points have been made over and over by now, but there is a reason for that. The bottom line is, what we're doing offensively is not working. In fact, it's progressively getting worse. It's nearly impossible for a team to make major adjustments to their scheme/philosophy in the middle of the season, so, don't expect much to change schematically. That leaves the players, it's up to them to figure it out. They have to do the work on the field. But when it's 1st and 2 at the goaline, and you can't punch the ball in the end zone after 3 downs, there is a big, big problem there.

I'm anxious to see how we respond this week.

 

[Steve19]

The best things the coaches and team can do for Terelle Pryor, the defense, and Ohio State football:

1. O line play. Ohio State has great talent on the line. They need to deliver
2. Play calling. Run first, pass second. The running backs need to put 150 yards a game on our opponents. We need at least 35 minutes of possession the next two games.
3. Play calling. Pryor needs to have ten designed running plays a game and get another 50 yards. 200 yards rushing in total.
4. Play calling. Short slants across the middle. Screen passes. Stop the secondary from committing to stopping the run by throwing short passes that keep them off-balance.
5. If we get the chance, take the opening kickoff and use a sustained drive to put a touchdown on the board. No home runs. Woody ball. Three yards at a time and short passes.

 

[daddyphatsacs]

4. Play calling. Short slants across the middle. Screen passes. Stop the secondary from committing to stopping the run by throwing short passes that keep them off-balance.

I agree 100%. Pryor has had the most success this year with the slants. The outs and the deep balls have given him the issues. I say get back to the basics....