2010 Heisman Hopefuls: Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State
When your school has a history like Ohio State it does not necessarily take much for you to get recognized. Then again, when you have a school like Ohio State you don’t take just any old player either,
Ohio State has seen its share of Heisman trophy winners. The first came way back in 1944 with senior quarterback Les Horvath. Running back Vic Janowicz was the next in 1950 followed by another running back in 1955, Howard Cassady. It would take almost 20 years for a Buckeye to win the award again; he did not just do it once though, he did it twice—running back Archie Griffin in 1974 and 1975.
Another 20 years would pass before Eddie George would win Ohio State’s next Heisman in 1995. The next one would not be nearly as far off: senior quarterback Troy Smith in 2006.
Some believe that it could be only four years between Heisman wins this time. With the immense potential of quarterback Terrelle Pryor and his ability to get even better than he already is paired with the national stage that comes with playing at Ohio State, 2010 could be his year.
High School
Coming out of high school, Pryor was one of the lucky few that had some real options. As a standout football and basketball player in high school, he became one of the most recruited players for both sports in southwest Pennsylvania.
His talents were as obvious on the court as on the gridiron. The speed that goes with having a 4.4 40-yard dash helped lead the basketball team to back to back state championship in 2006 and 2007. On the gridiron, he took the team to the state finals only to lose to the first ranked team. However, in the following year he would not be denied as he led the football team to its first state championship in school history.
Leading by example is just what Pryor did on the football field. During his senior season he became the first player in Pennsylvania high school football history to run for not only 4,000+yards, but also pass for 4,000+ yards. Accomplishment like this led to him being named the state Player of the Year twice, the Offensive Player of the Year, and the MVP of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in 2007.
As accomplished as he was, it was no surprise that he would be courted by several college teams interested in acquiring his services. He committed to staying in state and playing basketball at the University of Pittsburgh. By time his senior year rolled around he was mulling offers from Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Oregon.
College
Head coach Jim Tressel did not just throw Pryor to the wolves and insert him immediately into the backfield. Throughout the 2008 season he would see limited action throwing just 165 passes and completing 100 of them for 1311 yards and 12 touchdowns. Just like in high school he was a dangerous runner going for 631 yards and six touchdowns on 139 carries.
The following season saw him take more of the featured roll behind center for the Buckeyes. As the season went on his talents became more and more evident. Overall, he would end up throwing for 2084 yards, 18 touchdowns, and completing 57 per cent of his passes (167 of 295). On the ground he added another 779 yards and seven touchdowns on 162 carries.
One of his best games came early in the season against Toledo when he threw for 262 yards and three touchdowns—with two interceptions—with an additional 110 yards and another touchdown on the ground.
For Pryor to become a viable Heisman trophy candidate he will need to continue to grow as a player. At times his decision making ability has come into question often leading to mistakes; he had only four games last year where he did not throw an interception.
If Pryor does improve and Ohio State wins, his name will likely turn up on a number of ballets when it comes time to vote.
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