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

[CalvinistBuck]

I get frustrated because he's so inconsistent, but it's obvious how good he can be.

To a great extent, this is the theme of Dan Wetzel's piece today.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=dw-pryor091110

Wetzel often looks for sensational angles in his columns; but, he is a good writer. To be sure, he's more skilled at commenting on the human condition than he is at analyzing a particular sport. Nonetheless, I appreciated these remarks coming from a national columnist:

Put it this way, the Buckeyes didn't really play that well Saturday (allowing two touchdowns on special teams, stalling in the red zone) and they absolutely controlled the 12th-ranked Hurricanes. It was a strange, disjointed game; one Ohio State could've won by 50 had it been firing on all cylinders.

Ohio State is ranked No. 2 and deserves every bit of it. There is talent all over the field. Speed too. The Buckeyes have all the athletes you need; forget that reputation for lumbering.

 

[Sportsbuck28]

Miami also played a lot of man coverage, which TP hasn't seen that often. Most teams want to play zone against tOSU in order to minimize the potential for huge runs by TP. Miami's man-to-man hurt TP's completion percentage, just recall the tight coverages on Zach Boren and Stoney when they'd run short routes to the outside. But it was also a factor in allowing him to go over 100 yards rushing. Most teams won't have the athletes to play tOSU in man coverage most of the time. But hopefully he'll see more of in practice situations before he faces it as the primary defense again - although that might not happen until a bowl game.

Oregon also played a surprising amount of man as well, but they mixed in more zone coverages than Miami did.

 

[Buckskin86]

Pryor: a genuine dual threat
Passing against Marshall or running against Miami, his decisions are winning games
Saturday, September 18, 2010
By Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Cornerback Devon Torrence can sympathize with the University of Miami defense.

He has had to defend against Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor uncounted times in practice, so he knew how the Hurricanes were feeling last week when, in the third quarter from the Miami 13-yard line, Pryor rolled right looking for a receiver, then cut back to the left and glided into the end zone.

"You don't know what to do," Torrence said. "You don't know whether to cover your receiver or come up and make a play, because he's capable of running and, within two steps, he can be in the end zone."

Pryor always has been able to run, but until now, his junior season, he often seemed uncomfortable about when and why to do it.

As a freshman and sophomore, Pryor often ran because he was confused by coverages, and he reverted to his instincts. Other times, he seemed to avoid running when he could or should, out of stubbornness.

"I think it was more maybe (to) prove some people wrong - that he understood (defenses) and could throw the football," quarterbacks coach Nick Siciliano said.

http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten...9/18/pryor-a-genuine-dual-threat.html?sid=101

 

[Buckskin86]

Playmaking Pryor

Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor was uncanny with his accuracy and productivity on Saturday, particularly in the first half.

Pryor finished 22 of 29 for 235 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. But at one point in the first half, he was 17 for 18 with two touchdowns, including a string of 16 straight completions. The 16 straight not only broke the Ohio State record of 12 straight set by Jim Karsatos in 1985 against Wisconsin, but it also put him second all time in the Big Ten behind the 22 straight passes Iowa?s Chuck Long completed in 1984.

?I know this,? Coach Jim Tressel said. ?Terrelle was not happy after last week?s game. He?s not happy unless he?s a 60-plus percent guy. That?s just the standards he sets for himself.?

Tressel lauded Pryor?s judgment during that streak.

?I doubt very seriously he was sitting in his room last night hoping to hit 16 in a row,? Tressel said. ?Sometimes you throw it away because it?s the right thing to do.?

A few other Pryor tidbits:

? He is now 22-3 as OSU?s starting quarterback

? With 270 yards of total offense, he passed Archie Griffin for eighth place on the school?s all-time list, 5,695-5,589

? OSU is now 13-1 when Pryor runs for at least one TD and 19-1 when he throws for at least one score.

http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2010/09/19/sports/doc4c9585113b8c7043929842.txt

 

[ImFrigginFly]

Just watched the recorded version of the OU game. TP is FAST! When he turns on the jets, see ya..........

 

[dragurd]

The one thing that surprises me about Pryor is we still haven't seen him break a long TD run. I was expecting his first year for him to pop one around 50 or so but nothing. He had a chance yesterday but Posey blocked a man off to the side and the one on his hip tackled Pryor.

 

[SloopyHangOn]

The one thing that surprises me about Pryor is we still haven't seen him break a long TD run. I was expecting his first year for him to pop one around 50 or so but nothing. He had a chance yesterday but Posey blocked a man off to the side and the one on his hip tackled Pryor.

I doubt we'll ever see it barring a COMPLETE defensive breakdown.

The ONE thing that irks me a little bit (note: a tiny bit) about TP's running style is that he doesn't seem interested in breaking those long runs. The way TP stays safe while running isn't sliding (he can dish harder hits than many will give him), it's staying in control of the field while he's on his feet. If you've noticed, whenever TP makes the decision to run it's always his priority to get to the sidelines. It just so happens that because he's such a talented runner and such a strong guy he'll nab a few stiff-arms and cause a few broken ankles along the way. I have never seen him make that cut inside once he gets near the sidelines which is necessary almost 90% of the time if you're going to "take it to the house" for more than 40 or 50 yards.

If anything, that's what's most impressive about TP, he picks up just as many yards as the true scrambling QBs by simply being strong, fast and elusive. That's why I'm getting sick of the Vince Young comparisons that keep popping up (albeit he's becoming his own figure as of this year). Terrelle's style is not like VY's, it's completely his own. This is why I'm almost certain that with the continued improvement of his passing game he's going to be an unstoppable force come November, December and January (10th).

Aside from the obvious flaws in the special teams, the defense is [strike]nasty[/strike] [strike]scary[/strike] [strike]dominant[/strike] a word that has not yet been invented it's so unnerving...

...and because of that this offense, whose unlimited potential is equally as terrifying, is going to get a lot of opportunity to grow and adapt.

Terrelle Pryor is a TRUE JUNIOR leading arguably the most exciting team in college football this year and there's nobody else I'd rather see in that position.

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

So you like his running style better and think he will become a better player than VY?
In my opinion, VY was more of an elusive runner and TP is more of a power runner. They each seem to posses about the same straight away speed but you can tell that TP is a far larger quarterback in terms of muscle mass, which to me is very impressive. Young looks kinda like a stick. I'd say Terrelle looks more like 245-250 rather than his listed 233.

 

[SloopyHangOn]

So you like his running style better and think he will become a better player than VY?

I like his running style. <--Period

I don't think they're comparable. I honestly can't think of any other QB in recent history who's as fast, strong and agile as TP that isn't thinking "endzone" instead of "chains" when he starts to pick up speed. In the end there are pros and cons to both mindsets, but because TP also has the arm and the supporting cast to be just as dangerous throwing the ball as he is on his feet the cons list becomes very short.

I feel like comparing VY and TP is like comparing Soriano to Eckersley or Tiger to Jack. There are plenty of reasons to say one is "better" than the other, but in the end they're all great because they each have their own specific method of dominance.

I suppose, quantitatively, you could say that VY has a national championship and half of a Heisman so if TP earns that or more then he's "better".

I just don't think it's necessary to look at it that way.

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

Great points.

 

[BB73]

I doubt we'll ever see it barring a COMPLETE defensive breakdown.

The ONE thing that irks me a little bit (note: a tiny bit) about TP's running style is that he doesn't seem interested in breaking those long runs. The way TP stays safe while running isn't sliding (he can dish harder hits than many will give him), it's staying in control of the field while he's on his feet. If you've noticed, whenever TP makes the decision to run it's always his priority to get to the sidelines. It just so happens that because he's such a talented runner and such a strong guy he'll nab a few stiff-arms and cause a few broken ankles along the way. I have never seen him make that cut inside once he gets near the sidelines which is necessary almost 90% of the time if you're going to "take it to the house" for more than 40 or 50 yards.

I wonder if these decisions are based on coaching recommendations or just his own survival instincts. The play that got him injured last year, I believe, was the non-flagged horsecollar tackle by a New Mexico State player in the middle of the field. Perhaps he's trying to avoid a repeat of that, either consciously or unconsciously.

I think your observation of TP normally heading toward the sidelines is valid, but he did cut back to the middle of the field late in his longest run on Saturday.

 

[kolOhioState88]

unlike michigan we do not need our qb to break 80 yard runs to save the game. we have enough skill to do that. i wouldn't risk it. if tp goes down our season goes with it imo. i could see us being 9 and 3 if that happens. i say keep avoiding the hits until we really need you to take off tp (maybe october 16th in the 4th?).

 

[Buckrock]

unlike michigan we do not need our qb to break 80 yard runs to save the game. we have enough skill to do that. i wouldn't risk it. if tp goes down our season goes with it imo. i could see us being 9 and 3 if that happens. i say keep avoiding the hits until we really need you to take off tp (maybe october 16th in the 4th?).

Agree. We do need Herron and Saine to step up though. Gerry Dinardo is correct IMHO. We do not have the "Bell Cow RB". Since JT is committed to the upperclassmen, it's important that Boom and Zoom step up. Any National Championship team needs a great Defense and a running game. Alabama was this team last year. Hopefully the Bucks will be there at the end of the season. JT teams always get better toward the end of the year.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

pretty sweet picture I found of TP on Yahoo.

 

[kolOhioState88]

Agree. We do need Herron and Saine to step up though. Gerry Dinardo is correct IMHO. We do not have the "Bell Cow RB". Since JT is committed to the upperclassmen, it's important that Boom and Zoom step up. Any National Championship team needs a great Defense and a running game. Alabama was this team last year. Hopefully the Bucks will be there at the end of the season. JT teams always get better toward the end of the year.

yea spiels just went off on the running game. im still not sure if its the backs or the lines but we need to help tp out.