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By Billy Witz, Special to FOXSports.com
Whenever Terrelle Pryor has walked onto a football field,
people have marveled at his athletic ability. As Oregon coach Chip
Kelly noted, at 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds, he could pass for a
defensive lineman. He is also the fastest player on the Ohio State
team. And perhaps the Buckeyes’ best receiver.
But for all the accolades Pryor has heard, the one word that
means the most to Pryor is a simple one — quarterback.
As he hit the halfway point of his college career, Pryor
gave the surest sign Friday that he is developing into one, leading
the No. 8 Buckeyes to a 26-17 win over No. 7 Oregon in the Rose
Bowl. The sophomore delivered the victory as much with an accurate
arm and a cool head as with his devastating legs.
Pryor completed 23 of 37 passes for 266 yards — all
career highs — and two touchdowns. He also ran for 72 yards
on 20 carries, despite a small tear in the posterior ligament of
his left knee.
"I just wanted to show the world I could wing it like all
the other quarterbacks in college football," Pryor said outside the
Ohio State locker room after he had been named the game’s
most outstanding offensive player.
It was a dramatic change from the last half of the season
when coach Jim Tressel’s conservative play-calling made it
seem as if he was more afraid of Pryor’s arm than opponents.
On Friday, nine of the first 10 plays were designed passes.
``We felt we really needed to come in flinging it
around,’’ Tressel said. ``He not only made good
decisions as to who to go to, he made good decisions when to throw
it away and when to step up and run. He was engaged in the game,
talking in the game between series, [and] knew what they were doing
and why.’’
If this was a breakthrough performance for Pryor, it was for
the Buckeyes, too. Much maligned for their big-game performances,
Ohio State had lost three consecutive BCS bowls — including
back-to-back blowouts in the national championship game — and
a pair of marquee regular-season losses to USC.
``Oh, my god,’’ said defensive lineman Thaddeus
Gibson. ``I’ve been here four years and you hear it all the
time.’’
Next year, the Buckeyes may be involved in a different
conversation — one involving the national championship. They
lose six seniors and almost certainly defensive tackle Cameron
Heyward, a junior who is a prized NFL prospect. Gibson, a
fourth-year junior, could join him. But if Friday was any
indication, there is plenty of talent returning.
The Buckeyes defense thwarted the fast-paced Oregon offense,
which had averaged 42.8 points over the last six games. Quarterback
Jeremiah Masoli was held to a season-low 81 yards passing. With the
exception of elusive freshman Kenjon Barner, who had 227 yards
rushing, receiving and returning punts and kickoffs, Ohio State
managed to make Oregon work for its points.
If big plays were not made by Barner, they were rarely made.
``That was critical,’’ Ohio State defensive
coordinator Jim Heacock said. `` That was the only way we had a
chance. You’ve got to be sound, disciplined and keep
playing.’’
It also helped that the Ohio State offense kept
Oregon’s off the field. The Buckeyes ran 36 more plays than
Oregon, the largest differential since the first Rose Bowl in 1902.
``It was more tiring than frustrating,’’ Oregon
safety T.J. Ward said after the Buckeyes converted 11 of 21 third
downs. ``When you’re out there one, two, three downs, then
get a first. Then one, two, three downs, then get a first. That
takes a lot out of you.’’
The one thing the Oregon defense did do well was stiffen
near the goal line. They forced the Buckeyes to settle for four
field goals, the last of which came when Devin Barclay booted a
38-yarder to put the Buckeyes ahead 19-17 with 6:36 left in the
third quarter.
Soon after came the game’s pivotal play. LaMichael
James’ 30-yard run — his longest of the game —
helped put the ball at the Ohio State 18-yard line, when Masoli
placed the ball into the belly of LaGarrette Blount.
The bruising tailback, who had spent much of the season
trying to redeem himself for a sucker punch of a Boise State player
in the season opener, had earlier bulled his way to a 3-yard
touchdown run. But on this play, the ball bounced off him on the
handoff and rolled out of the end zone for a touchback.
When the game reached the fourth quarter, Pryor took over.
He capped a 13-play, 81-yard drive with a 17-yard fade to DeVier
Posey in the far corner of the end zone to put Ohio State ahead,
26-17. Pryor converted three third downs on the drive, including a
24-yard pass to tight end Jake Ballard on third-and-13.
When Oregon kicker Morgan Flint missed a 44-yard field goal
with 5:10 left, Pryor saw to it that the Ducks never got the ball
back, running for three first downs.
Those were the types of plays the Ducks expected Pryor to
make. What they did not expect were the ones with his arm.
``It was surprising to us,’’ said Kelly, who had
recruited Pryor in high school. ``At times tonight, he looked like
a man amongst boys. He’s a lot bigger, stronger and more
physical. He certainly beat us on how he threw the
ball.’’
Pryor’s prettiest pass came early when he rolled
right, then delicately lofted a pass down the sideline that hit
tailback Brandon Saine in stride.
Joe Germaine, the former Ohio State quarterback who was the
MVP of the Buckeyes’ last Rose Bowl appearance in 1997,
greeted Pryor with a hug afterward. Germaine said Pryor simply
needs time to mature.
``You get so enamored of his physical abilities, but
there’s a lot to learn about playing the
position,’’ Germaine said. ``What I liked about tonight
was that the stage wasn’t too big for him.’’
Much like it wasn’t too grand for the player Pryor is
most often compared to — Vince Young. It was on this same
field that Young made his mark for Texas, first rallying the
Longhorns to a last-second win over Michigan and the next year
returning to win the national championship with his fourth-down,
final-minute dash that beat USC.
But when Pryor lofted his touchdown pass to Posey, in the
same end zone that Young made his daring run, he did not recall
Young when discussing his mechanics. Instead, it was Peyton
Manning.
Tressel, who talks regularly with Pryor about where he and
the team need to be, said Pryor’s performance represented
much-needed progress. It also raised expectations.
``I could have a game like this anytime,’’ said
Pryor. Next season, he may get the chance.
