Read Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan’s argument for what they believe was the biggest sports surprise of the weekend.
Terrelle Pryor struggled mightily against a tough and well coached Southern Cal defense that exposed many of his weaknesses. The fact that Terrelle Pryor – who was the subject of MUCH more hype coming out of high school than Florida quarterback Tim Tebow – is struggling so substantially after two Springs and 10+ starts is the biggest surprise from the weekend.
Pryor was the top recruit in the nation two years ago. He possessed physical tools and athleticism that few coaches and recruiting coordinators across the country had ever seen. Top programs like Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, and Oregon were hot on his trail. Sports Illustrated called Pryor’s announcement of what school he had chosen the most anticipated ever in the history of college football.
As a freshman starter in college Pryor was, well, decent. His athleticism was noted and admired by all. His reliance on running back Chris Wells to make the offense function was also obvious. After the conclusion of the 2009 season Ohio State fans were left to contemplate what they had in Pryor. Was he a great athlete with boatloads of untapped potential (see Vince Young)? Or, was he an overrated player that believed he had more ability that he actually did (see the game-losing fumble against Penn State during 2008 for an example)?
That is what Terrelle Pryor was.
Now, Pryor is not a good quarterback. Granted, he still has time to develop still, but his dismal display against Southern Cal on Saturday night must be extremely concerning for Buckeyes’ fans. Pryor made several substantial mistakes that showcase how little he has developed as a quarterback.
All good quarterbacks must be good passers, however, Pryor has not shown that. He has a strong arm, sure, but his decision making is questionable. Is Pryor finding the correct receiver to target? When he does find the right target, are his mechanics good enough to complete the pass every time? The latter question is likely the one Buckeye fans and coaches will be asking throughout the week. Pryor has inconsistent feet, rarely setting them before throwing the ball. The early interception Pryor threw on Saturday night – the play that set up Southern Cal’s first touchdown – came on a play where Pryor was rushed and moving. Even though his feet were not set, he still decided to throw – it was a bad decision. Pryor’s footwork is really quite terrible. He throws off his back foot too often, causing throws to hang up in the air too long and generally throwing off his accuracy. The bad mechanics are alarming, and issues that should have been drilled and addressed by two games into season number two.
Terrelle Pryor’s greatest asset is his athleticism. But, someone has to remind him. He is obviously reluctant to run, causing him to force some throws. What is concerning is that he is determined to show NFL scouts he has the ability to throw, that he is not just another running quarterback what will flame out in the pros (again, see Vince Young). Until Pryor admits to himself that he is a college quarterback leading a college team playing college football, he will not realize his potential. I do not like to speculate, but it appears as though winning and losing at Ohio State is not the most important part of his football life, and that is stunting his growth.
A quarterback must lead. Leading comes in many forms in college football, from chit chat in the huddle to acing questions during film study to running the two minute drill. The two minute drill is a staple of any offense and the ideal opportunity for a quarterback to take command of a game and earn his teammate’s trust. Pryor had two opportunities to run a short clock drill, one at the end of the first half, the other at the end of the game, and he was unable to execute both times. “Unable to execute” is quite generous, too. In reality, those two short clocks drills were a hot mess, with poor throws and terrible clock management. At the end of the game Pryor actually took off toward the sideline to try and salvage a few yards when there was good coverage downfield, but then cut back toward the middle of the field to get a couple of extra yards. Normally that is fine – even applauded. But, Ohio State needed to stop the clock in that situation first. Pryor seems to struggle with his game awareness.
In some ways, this is a difficult article to write… to be so critical of a 19-year-old kid who is playing with such tremendous expectations every week. But, this is the type of scrutiny that Pryor has welcomed – if the door is opened, it is fair to walk through it.
To the keen observer, it appears as though Pryor plays the game with the weight of the world on his shoulders. And, in fairness to Pryor, Ohio State has some issues on offense. The line cannot change the line of scrimmage in short yardage situations, receivers are having trouble getting separation, and running backs are not finding the few holes the offensive line opens. But, the issues that Ohio State has on offense create an opportunity for Pryor to show leadership and take command of the offense. Right now, it does not appear as though he has the capacity to do it.
The good news for Pryor is that if intelligence and discipline ever catch up to his athleticism, he may become one of the all time greats. Until then, Pryor is perpetually potential.
