Breaking News: Pryor From Penn State By Mark Brennan
One of the more protracted recruiting battles in recent memory will come to an end this week. Scout.com five-star quarterback Terrelle Pryor said Saturday he will make his college choice sometime next week. Pryor made the comment after leading his Jeannette (Pa.) High basketball team to a AA state championship at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center. He had 23 points, eight rebounds and five blocks in the 76-72 win over Philadelphia's Strawberry Mansion.
Pryor, who had been considering football scholarships from Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Oregon, said he has narrowed the field to two schools. But he declined to say which two schools.
He will not make any more visit between now and the time he makes up his mind.
He said he did not know exactly when he would make the announcement, and that a decision on whether to hold a press conference at his high school rests with school officials.
Pryor down to 2 schools, decision due this week Posted by Bob Flounders/The Patriot-News March 15, 2008 16:42PM Jeannette superstar Terrelle Pryor said Saturday he will make his college decision this week.
The 6-6 quarterback, considered by many to be the top football recruit in the country, also said he is down to two schools but would not reveal the finalists.
Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan and Oregon made his final four last month.
"It's down to two schools ... (but) I can't tell you (who they are),'' Pryor said after Jeannette defeated Strawberry Mansion 76-72 to win the PIAA Class AA basketball championship Saturday afternoon at PSU's Bryce Jordan Center.
"Next week, I'm going to say the school I'm going to, sign it and get it over with,'' said Pryor, who clarified his announcement time period as "this coming week.''
This is ridiculous. All this hoopla over a kid waiting to sign to a school to play college ball. Just sign to a damn school already. The kid is dragging it out for sure. He comes right out and says he's narrowed it down to 2 schools, but won't say which 2. So he can keep the media guessing in suspense. He's just loving this and much as the media is.
I might catch heat for this. I have a weird feeling he will commit to penn state. If he does he better get used to losing because michigan and ohio state will smack the crap out of him physically and mentally.
Ironic that as a Buckeye fan I want him to sign so we can beat Michigan and PSU more, but if he signs either, I (all of us) will line up to congratulate him on getting stomped by OSU for the next 3 seasons.
Great irony.
I would think he'd go to Michigan, PSU and then OSU. I think OSU last because he saw Troy's fall from grace. Henne had a MUCH worse season than Troy Smith did two seasons ago yet Henne will either be a late 1st day or early second day pick...two completely different seasons and two completely different draft positions.
Like candyman, Penn State is my initial guess as to where he will sign. However, I think he'll sign with OSU over Michigan, only because OSU seems to have the better overall roster/draft class. But hey, we're all just speculating here. I just can't wait to find out where he actually goes...it's all pretty significant.
Wise words spoken by sages From SkyTel to BlackBerry pagers
My guess is his home state team or Oregon. If he signs out of state, he may want out of the Big 10 all together to avoid the turncoat tag some would apply.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
The kid waited till his bball championship was over...at least thats what i was thinking.....why the hell is he taking a week after? he better do this tomorrow afternoon or THEN i'll start thinkin he is enjoying the media attention...
Until now he had 1 reason in my book...his bball...and that he might want to go visit some schools after...but whta heck?
It's hard for me to even care about this kid anymore. He said he wanted to wait so he could "give everyone a fair chance" and he ends up not even taking a visit to Penn State or Oregon?
It's pretty apparent he likes two things: fighting and the attention. So, he announces to the media that he'll be making his announcement? But.....he's not sure when he'll be doing it. Oh, and he's down to two teams but he can't tell you who? LOL. Give me a break already.
Seriously, whoever gets this kid better keep him on an incredibly tight leash. I'm of the impression he's not worth the hassle.
Perhaps he didn't really start thinking about it and analizing the schools until after the bball championship... so he wanted to take another week or so to have no sports to be able to fully concentrate on it...
personally I don't care anymore... he has great talent, but this has just been too much.
Quote: he wanted to wait so he could "give everyone a fair chance" and he ends up not even taking a visit to Penn State or Oregon?
Stuff like this makes me mad He made these schools thing he was truly interested and then didnt even bother to visit. He has extreme talent but look at this video about how cocky he is (1:55)
Man come on..he had like a year to think about which school he wants to end up at....it's been months since he visited OSU and MEEchigan....why on earth does he need to go to the press after his big bball game and say "hey i'm thiking of picking from 2 teams next week sometimes...stay tuned" he could have jus announced then that he is going to OSU or MEEchigan and be done with it...
I am really surprised nobody is mentioning the fight in the hallway outside the gym that Prior was involved in after the semifinal game. Originally he was supposed to suspended for this game, of course he pulled the race card and claimed someone dropped a N bomb on him.
Right now I wont be upset if tOSU gets him but if we dont I hope Meechigan gets him so we can beat him every year .
KING
You may be in the drivers seat but God is holding the map. #GMSTRONG
Quote: it wasn't like he was the only one in the fight...it was almost the whole team...u can't pin that all on him
Did I ever pin it all on him?? Terell Pryor is the potential OSU recruit, I dont believe any of the other players in the fight are, so my concern is HIS involvement in the fight.
KING
You may be in the drivers seat but God is holding the map. #GMSTRONG
I stand corrected, he was never suspended and he didnt pull the race card, the assistant coach did.
Pryor cleared for basketball playoffs Wednesday, March 12, 2008Doug LesmerisesPlain Dealer Reporter Terrelle Pryor's high school basketball career won't end early.
The Jeannette (Pa.) High School star, still the focus of a football recruiting battle between Ohio State and Penn State, was cleared Tuesday to play in today's semifinal of the Class AA Pennsylvania basketball playoffs. A hearing was held before a Western Penn sylvania Inter scholastic Athletic League board on Tuesday afternoon to rule on a hallway fight that occurred after Jeannette defeated North Catholic in a quarterfinal on Saturday.
Just before 9 p.m., Roy Hall, Pryor's quarterbacks coach at Jeannette, reported the WPIAL had placed the Jeannette and North Catholic athletic programs on two years probation for the fight but had not suspended any players. Hall said he thought suspensions were possible.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, an assistant coach from host Hempfield High told police he held Pryor back during the fight, during which several players suffered cuts and bruises.
"The kid takes a lot, and I'm not saying the kid is totally innocent, but he was called a racial slur," Hall said. "But you've got to realize sometimes that you should let someone else handle that because you have bigger things to deal with."
Jeannette plays North East High School at Sharon High School, just over the Ohio border from Youngstown, at 7 p.m. tonight. The winner advances to Saturday's state title game at Penn State.
Quote: Ironic that as a Buckeye fan I want him to sign so we can beat Michigan and PSU more, but if he signs either, I (all of us) will line up to congratulate him on getting stomped by OSU for the next 3 seasons.
Great irony.
I would think he'd go to Michigan, PSU and then OSU. I think OSU last because he saw Troy's fall from grace. Henne had a MUCH worse season than Troy Smith did two seasons ago yet Henne will either be a late 1st day or early second day pick...two completely different seasons and two completely different draft positions.
Actually, I think the Troy Smith situation would WANT to make him come to OSU. Think about it, he (Smith) was the LAST player to get a scholarship in that class and it was as an athlete, not as a quarterback. There was all of that NCAA violation BS, and despite all that, Tressel turned him into a heisman winning QB and got him drafted, despite being a shade under 6 feet tall. There aren't many QB's that get drafted who are under 6 feet.
That said, I have this strange feeling that he is going to end up going to Michigan.
Terrelle Pryor to announce college choice Wednesday Posted by Doug Lesmerises March 18, 2008 14:38PM Terrelle Pryor will announce his college choice Wednesday at noon at Jeannette High School outside Pittsburgh.
Roy Hall, Pryor's quarterbacks coach, confirmed that the nation's No. 1 quarterback recruit is down to two schools and Hall believes the choice will be what his gut has told him all along - Ohio State.
Pryor had a news conference on National Signing Day on Feb. 6 to announce that he was not making a decision at the same time as most of the other top recruits in the nation. Instead, he kept his options open among Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Oregon while focusing on his high school basketball season.
Saturday, Jeannette High won Pennsylvania's AA state basketball title, matching the state football title won in December.
Pryor never made an official visit to Penn State, so his only official trips were to Ohio State and Michigan. He was prepared to make his pledge to Ohio State earlier but backed off when his father, Craig, asked him to give Penn State more consideration.
Ohio State signed 19 players to its recruiting class in February, and ever since, Jim Tressel has hinted about the player for which he was saving spot No. 20, though NCAA rules prevented him from mentioning Pryor by name.
But Pryor remained the hottest topic among Buckeye fans, as he scored 39 points in one basketball playoff game and was involved in a postgame fight on another night. One fan produced an action figure of Pryor, while other followers seemed to grow tired of a process that lasted seven weeks longer than expected.
Asked if he was glad the announcement was coming Wednesday, Hall said, "Oh, my God, yes."
I was just wondering about that too. Can this kid POSSIBLY live up to the hype surrounding him? I don't know. I'm not a big college football fan, so I don't generally know or care much about the kids coming out of high school. However, even I am interested to see how this one turns out!
[color:"white"]"Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
Quote: One fan produced an action figure of Pryor, while other followers seemed to grow tired of a process that lasted seven weeks longer than expected.
WHATTTTTTTTTTT? a ACTION FIGURE?! you have got to be kidding me...ppl r turly retarded....get a life
Anyways....i was listenin to 1460 the fan while driving home from work this evening and heard them say lot of OSU football players think OSU is going to get a QB tomorrow at noon.... I personally don't care anymore...but if we get him then great...if w don't o well
Quote: I was just wondering about that too. Can this kid POSSIBLY live up to the hype surrounding him? I don't know. I'm not a big college football fan, so I don't generally know or care much about the kids coming out of high school. However, even I am interested to see how this one turns out!
He'll basically get a year to sit if he comes to OSU and mature... he'll take on the Tim Tebow role when he was a freshman... so I think he'll be alright...
if he goes to UM he starts next year IMO.... either way he has a lot of hype, but I think he'll be alright where ever he goes.
He'll basically get a year to sit if he comes to OSU and mature...
By the sounds of it he looks like he does need time to mature. Everything I have seen so far makes him look like an arrogant jerk. If he doesn't go to OSU I won't lose any sleep over it
He will mature quickly at OSU or any other college for that matter. He has said numerous times that this whole process has really drained him and he didn't want to think about it during basketball season. He doesn't like getting phone calls, doing interviews, etc. If he didn't do the interviews we would tear the kid of for that too. Put yourself in his shoes.... #1 rated player in the nation with a huge hype surrounding you... every game you play on the court, the opposing fans/student section tries to tear you down... people are slamming you on ESPN and other sports shows because you didn't sign and wanted more time to think, but really you just want to play basketball and make the committment to the Jayhawks, all other committments can come afterwards. Yes, I'll admit Pryor should have been able to ignore all the fans and take the pressue, but I think it's gotten to him just like it would have gotten to any other player in the nation if they had the spotlight on them. His attitude did show, but his game never suffered. He stepped up his game and shut up those in the gym trying to bring him down. Sounds like a success story to me. He is a fierce competitor and I think it will be good for the Buckeyes or whoever. Also... correct me if I am wrong, but didn't a fan come on to the court after the game and screwing with Pryor. If this is true, then why is Pryor getting blamed for the encounter?
Quote: If he goes to OSU I honestly believe he can live up to the hype. This guy could be a game changer like vince young was.
Personally, I think it's the opposite (and no, it's not because I'm a homer ).
His chance to quote-un-quote "fail" lies in him taking a chance and going to OSU. He says he has aspirations of playing QB in the NFL but that surely involves making a rather large transition (that's why I use the term "his chance to fail.") I'm not saying he will but the greater risk is for him to try to fit in to a modified pro-style offense when you look at the alternatives (Oregon and Michigan).
Pryor isn't in the mold of a Troy Smith, he's literally a RB that can throw. His completion percentage has hovered just above 50% for his entire HS career, even against some fairly mediocre competition. His run/pass ratio is around 60/40. Smith's was more like 20/80...probably even less then that once he got past his soph season. I think that's where some people are getting hung up. OSU's "spread" offense worked with Smith because he was an incredibly accurate passer, something Pryor clearly is not at this point. He has a good arm but it's a bit erratic.
Also, he's never been a drop back guy or even a stay put and survey the field type player like Smith was. Pryor, for the most part, seems to run around like a chicken with his head cut off or rollout on about 99.9% of his throws. Even in the AA game he scrambled around on EVERY pass play before eventually unloading a throw. I'm not sure how or if OSU will break him of that habit but they will surely have to because it seems as though he's incredibly uncomfortable staying in the pocket for more then a split second.
His athletic ability is going to help cover up some of his deficiencies as a passer but unless Pryor overhauls his game or OSU decides to overhaul their offense, I'm not sure he's going to be the standout he would be on a team that runs the spread option (Oregon or Michigan). It's just an offense that is tailor made for a player of his skill set. I'm not saying he's going to suck because I don't think that's the case at all but I really don't envision him being anywhere near the player Tim Tebow is for example (away from the spread-option). I would say the same thing about Dennis Dixon. It's not really a knock against them, it's just how it is. Kind of the same reason you would never run the spread option with Derek Anderson. These guys (Dixon, Pryor, etc) are great talents but they are held back when coaches try to fit the square peg in to a round hole. That's the only potential hang up I see with Pryor. Sure, OSU can modify the offense but I'm not sure that's going to be as effective as they might like.
Finally, aside from him potentially being in a system that isn't best suited for his talents, I also think he has red flags in terms of character that could surface. I'd also be concerned that he may not have a qualifying test score yet. He had said he would be graduating at the end of March all year and no he has come out and said that he'll be going all the way until June. I'm kind of interested to see why that is?
We'll see how it all plays out but even with all his god given athletic talent, I still view him as a system QB because of his limitations passing the ball. That can develop over time but historically, OSU hasn't really been known as a place that develops QB's. Getting lucky with one unheralded recruit doesn't suddenly make you a QB guru.
It will all play out one way or the other but I would guess there's little chance he lives up to the overwhelming hype. He'd have to be Jesus Christ on the football field to justify all the attention he's getting.
Just to shore some of what you said. Michigan hasnt even run the spread option in a game yet so I dont think you can begin to talk like it is this well established offensive philosphy at Michigan. He might not even be able to get it all in for this season.
I am actually hoping Pryor goes to UM so there can be fuel to the rivalry other than rhetoric between the fans. I would love for the masses to DESPISE r-rod before he even sets foot on the field of an OSU/UM game. We may not need Pryor but the rivalry does.
I agree kid has been way overhyped but I see no benefit trying to marginalize his potential as you are doing. There are lots of folks who know much more than you or I regarding what the kid brings to the table. I will Tress & Rod's opinions over yours or mine anyday.
The sudden about face on a recruit deemed #1 by the experts seems a bit strange considering a year ago the name Ryan Mallet figured so prominently into every conversation about U of M. Things change quickly for sure.
I do understand that it is a bit scary to be thinking about facing a 3 wide with a single back in a 3rd and short spot with Wells and Pryor in the same backfield.
Much the same way I would have felt with Manningham, Arrington lined up wide and McGuffie & Pryor in your backfield in the same situation.
Top-ranked QB Pryor commits to Ohio State By Chris Lawlor ESPN.com (Archive) Updated: March 19, 2008, 12:02 PM ET Comment Email Print Terrelle Pryor, the nation's top-ranked high school quarterback according to the ESPN 150 and the top unsigned senior, announced that he'll attend Ohio State at the news conference at his high school in Pennsylvania on Wednesday.
His decision comes six weeks after the Feb. 6 national signing day when seniors normally sign their binding national letter and four days after the Jeannette Jayhawks made WPIAL history by winning the PIAA Class AA state boys' basketball championship. In December, the school won the state football title. No other Western Pennsylvania school has pulled off that unthinkable double.
Pryor was the central figure in both championship runs.
"The sky's the limit to athleticism," said Tom Luginbill, the national football recruiting coordinator for Scouts, Inc. "He draws comparisons to Vince Young who can save a play on the run and has the ability to improvise."
The two-time Pennsylvania player-of-the-year chose Ohio State over Oregon, Penn State and Michigan. But it really came down to blood rivals Ohio State and Michigan.
Pryor initially delayed his college decision because he did not devote adequate time to the recruiting process. After winning a football championship on Dec. 14, he jumped into basketball season. Charlie Batch, the Pittsburgh Steelers' backup quarterback, became an advisor. Batch, who has known Pryor since he was 12 years old, wants to "point out things he might not see" during the recruiting process.
He asked for more time but failed to officially visit two of the four finalists because of the overlap of football and basketball.
Last weekend at the Class AA basketball final in State College, Pa., Pryor knew a decision was imminent. He said he would "sign it (the national letter) and just get it over with."
He also eliminated two schools but failed to mention them.
Pryor's future coach, Tressel, fielded several questions on Feb. 6 about landing a quarterback before April 1. Though he never mentioned Pryor by name (NCAA rules forbid a coach from commenting on a recruit who hasn't signed with his school), Tressel remained optimistic, saving a scholarship after signing 19 players.
"I think we had planned on having a quarterback in this class and so, yeah, in a perfect, let's make a perfect world, let's get a quarterback in this class, and our plans would be further along," he said.
Consider it done.
The commitment also bolsters Ohio State's 2008 recruiting class, making it eight ESPN 150 prospects in the fold. The Buckeyes now leapfrog Southern California for the No. 6 recruiting class in ESPN's 2008 college football prospect rankings.
"The quarterback position was a real need for Ohio State," Luginbill said. "They were able to fulfill it late."
Ohio State signed three Top-100 offensive linemen, Michael Brewster (Edgewater-Orlando, Fla., No. 42 in the ESPN 150), J.B. Shugarts (Klein-Spring, Texas, No. 56) and Mike Adams (Coffman-Dublin, Ohio, No. 88), who will be Pryor's future protectors.
Pryor's signing doesn't necessarily mean he'll start at quarterback or become the "instant savior." That's because Todd Boeckman, a 6-5 senior from St. Henry, Ohio, returns. Boeckman guided the 11-2 Buckeyes to the BCS National Championship Bowl, throwing for 2,379 yards and 25 touchdowns, while completing nearly 64 percent of his passes.
"Terrelle will be in a great situation from the start," Luginbill said. "Ohio State has an accomplished quarterback and 20 starters back. Terrelle will be utilized like Tim Tebow at Florida as a freshman where he was brought into situations which didn't create failure; he'll have doses of the offense.
"He still needs to beat you on the college level with his arm. In high school, he did it with his legs, not necessarily by passing. He needs to become a quarterback as opposed to an athlete who is a quarterback," he added.
With two PIAA state championship trophies residing at Jeannette High, thus ends one the great prep careers in state history.
Pryor, the No. 4-rated player in the ESPN 150, has left a legacy:
• In football, he became the first Pennsylvania player to pass and rush for more than 4,000 yards.
• In basketball, he concluded with a school-record 2,285 points, eighth all-time on the WPIAL career scoring charts.
• He helped the Jayhawks win back to back WPIAL football championships, advancing to the last two PIAA Class AA title games, triumphing this season.
• He scored 23 points and had eight rebounds in the PIAA Class AA final as the Jayhawks held off Strawberry Mansion of Philadelphia, 76-72, in overtime. The Jayhawks went 30-2 and won the WPIAL title.
• The football team went 30-2 over the last two seasons, including 16-0 this season.
• The basketball squad went 53-9 in his junior and senior season as Pryor, an all-state selection, topped the Jayhawks in most statistical categories.
Pryor, a rare 6-6, 230-pound physical specimen, will concentrate on football at Ohio State.
"Everyone says he's a can't-miss player," Jeannette Head Coach Ray Reitz said. "Not too many 6-foot-6 athletes can run a sub 4.3 40 (yard dash)."
His football numbers this fall were eye-catching but might have been eye-popping if the Jayhawks weren't so dominant, registering lopsided scores.
Pryor ran for 1,901 yards and 33 touchdowns on 142 carries, averaging 13.4 yards. He completed 85 of 124 passes for 1,790 yards and 21 touchdowns and had caught one TD pass.
He saved his best for last.
In the PIAA 2A final, he ran for 209 yards and three TDs and completed 3 of 4 passes for 83 yards and a TD and caught a 28-yard scoring strike in a 49-21 blowout of Dunmore.
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Oh, and he's down to two teams but he can't tell you who? LOL. Give me a break already. 
He made these schools thing he was truly interested and then didnt even bother to visit. 
He has extreme talent but look at this video about how cocky he is (1:55)
