All (Buck)eyes--and others--on next big thing by Teddy Greenstein TRIBUNE COLLEGE FOOTBALL REPORTER January 15, 2008
The annual stampede is different this year.
With three weeks left before college football's signing day, it's not just reporters, coaches and fans that are peppering Rivals.com national analyst Jeremy Crabtree with phone calls.
Other recruits want information about a player they don't even know. Normally self-obsessed teenagers from California and Florida are asking about a quarterback who holds the fortunes of Ohio State and Michigan in the palm of his right hand.
"It's funny the way the whole country has been captivated by this kid," Crabtree said. "They all want to know: 'What's happening with Terrelle Pryor?'"
If you haven't heard of Pryor, that's OK. There had to be a first time you read the name Reggie Bush or Vince Young or Jimmy Clausen.
Everyone who follows college football recruiting has heard of him. He's the nation's top recruit, a 6-foot-6-inch, 225-pound quarterback from the western Pennsylvania town of Jeannette who runs a 4.4-second 40-yard dash and can fire a football 65 yards.
He's the first Pennsylvania player to both pass and rush for 4,000 yards, and he was named MVP of the Jan. 5 U.S. Army All-American Bowl after he made other high school All-Stars look like JV backups.
Ryan Mallett has heard of Pryor. Mallett wisely announced he would transfer rather than stay at Michigan, where new coach Rich Rodriguez plans to install his beloved spread-option attack, which requires a fleet-footed QB.
Rivals.com reported Monday that Mallett is already taking classes at Arkansas, where he would be eligible to play in 2009. The Associated Press quoted Mallett's father, Jim, as saying, "We haven't made a decision yet," adding they had visited Arkansas and talked to Texas A&M and Tennessee. Mallett's phone calls with Rodriguez and their one face-to-face meeting led the No. 2 QB recruit of 2007 (behind Clausen) to realize his best move was to leave campus.
"I really didn't get to ask a lot of questions," Mallett told the Detroit Free Press. "I have a lot of respect for what he's done, but for me to be successful right now, I have to go somewhere else."
Rob Schoenhoft can relate. He was Ohio State's No. 2 quarterback until a few weeks ago.
During preparation for the BCS title game, Ohio State elevated Antonio Henton, a run-pass threat, to second string. Schoenhoft moved to tight end but said he would return to quarterback after the game.
Instead he will transfer to Delaware, according to a Monday report on ESPN.com.
One way to interpret the move? Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is preparing to re-install the offense that helped build Troy Smith into a Heisman Trophy winner. Smith ran for 11 touchdowns as a junior, then threw for 30 touchdowns in his final year.
One thing that could stall those plans: Todd Boeckman, who led the Big Ten in passing efficiency in 2007, will return to Columbus for his final season.
If Pryor commits to Ohio State, Tressel could operate a two-quarterback system. Urban Meyer used it to deliver a national title to Florida one year ago.
Florida, meanwhile, remains in the mix for Pryor. So do Oregon and Penn State.
But people who have spoken with Pryor believe Ohio State and Michigan are 1-2.
Crabtree called the Ohio-Michigan border the "epicenter of the epicenter" and added of Pryor's decision: "It's hard to put into words how big this is."
Even the sedate New York Times hailed him in a headline as a "Can't-Miss Prospect." The accompanying story quoted his coach from the Army All-American Bowl as saying Pryor has "a gift from God on athletic ability."
Pryor, oddly enough, has taken only one official visit, to Ohio State. During an unofficial visit to Columbus in June, Pryor met Buckeyes football greats Smith and Orlando Pace, plus former Ohio State QB and current ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit.
Pryor, who's keeping a recruiting diary for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, plans to visit Penn State this weekend, Michigan on the Feb. 1 weekend and perhaps squeeze in a trip to Florida.
Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch will accompany him.
"I've known Charlie for a couple years," Pryor told the paper. "His brother dates my aunt. Charlie is kind of part of my family now. We talk. I asked him if he would want to go on my visits, and he said sure."
Michigan was barely in the picture until Rodriguez -- "Rich Rod," Pryor calls him -- took the Wolverines job. Rodriguez phoned Pryor with the news before letting almost anyone else know.
Now hard-core Michigan fans are in freak-out mode over Pryor.
Detroit Free Press columnist Drew Sharp wrote that Rodriguez "must keep Pryor away from Jim Tressel. He must do whatever it takes. Failure is not an option."
Here's why: With Mallett out of the picture and Chad Henne bound for the NFL, the incumbent quarterback would likely be Steven Threet, a tall, brainy, drop-back passer who sat out 2007 after transferring from Georgia Tech.
That doesn't sound like the player Rodriguez hopes to have under center when Michigan plays host to Utah on Aug. 30, 2008. He wants Pryor. So does Tressel.
"It will be entertaining," Crabtree said, "to see how this unfolds."
Fantasy Football: "Luck is where preparation meets opportunity"
While OSU and Michigan seem to be the top 2 candidates right now, keep on eye on schools like Florida, Penn St, and Oregon. There is still a lot of time for him to decide, so a lot can happen. Don't be shocked if he winds up going to school that isn't one of his top 2 at this point in time.
COULD NO. 1 RECRUIT TERRELLE PRYOR BE A BUST?: A look at past top-ranked recruits January 15, 2008 By SCOTT BELL FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
If Michigan gets its coveted commitment from Terrelle Pryor, the nation's No. 1 recruit according to Rivals.com, is the dual-threat quarterback guaranteed to be a star?
Most people who have seen Pryor play would say yes. But history isn't exactly on their side.
Over the past five seasons, no top-ranked quarterback has received All-American honors. Only Georgia's Matthew Stafford, 2006's top-ranked signal caller, has come close to reaching his potential. In his second season under center, Stafford led the Bulldogs to an 11-2 season highlighted by a Sugar Bowl victory this month.
2004’s top QB, Oklahoma's Rhett Bomar (class of 2004), isn't even playing major college football. He was dismissed from the Sooners after his freshman season for taking "payment over an extended period of time in excess of time actually worked.” Bomar made more than $18,000 in the summer of 2005 while working just five hours a week. He had to sit out the 2006 season after transferring to Sam Houston State. He played in nine games this season, highlighted by wins over Arkansas-Monticello and Angelo State, before suffering a season-ending injury.
Southern Cal's Mark Sanchez (2005) has stuck behind Heisman candidate John David Booty for the past two seasons. With two years of eligibility remaining, Sanchez now has to battle Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain for the Trojans' starting spot next season.
Kyle Wright, 2003's top quarterback, never reached his potential. The Miami Hurricanes quarterback ended his disappointing career by throwing for 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions as a senior in 2007.
But unlike the four cases above, Pryor is ranked the No. 1 overall recruit and No.1 overall QB – just like Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen (2007). Clausen struggled for most of his freshman year behind one of the nation's most unstable offensive lines. But his numbers weren’t as ugly as the Irish's record last season.
TOP RECRUITS Here are the nation's top recruits over the past five years and their stats. The top-ranked quarterback of the class is listed first, along with his overall ranking. The class' No. 1 overall prospect is in parentheses.
To be fair in the above article the only one I would say is a bust is Wright. Bohmar would have been a good QB at OK, but got in trouble. Sanchez gets his shot this season after sitting, and Claussen (while I think he will suck) only played one year. I don't think u can go by those
deerayfan072 wrote:To be fair in the above article the only one I would say is a bust is Wright. Bohmar would have been a good QB at OK, but got in trouble. Sanchez gets his shot this season after sitting, and Claussen (while I think he will suck) only played one year. I don't think u can go by those
The point of the article though is that for one reason or another, on field or off, for whatever reason - the #1 QB has not worked out - it's a crapshoot, no guarantees, no matter how good of a prospect the kid seems (just like it's a crapshoot drafting the top first round QB's in the NFL). That's precisely why you can go by those - it shows the risk involved.
Fantasy Football: "Luck is where preparation meets opportunity"
A Fleshner Fantasy wrote:While OSU and Michigan seem to be the top 2 candidates right now, keep on eye on schools like Florida, Penn St, and Oregon. There is still a lot of time for him to decide, so a lot can happen. Don't be shocked if he winds up going to school that isn't one of his top 2 at this point in time.
Penn St. isn't going to get him and unless he plans on committing to a school he has never been too in Oregon or Florida (not to mention these schools are extremely far away from his father, who is disabled and he has said he wants to stay near) I wouldn't count on the choice being anyone other than the two Big 10 schools.
I still say it's OSU, but I am beginning to think Michigan has a chance.
I ain't no suit-wearin' businessman like you... you know I'm just a gangsta I suppose... - Avon Barksdale
A Fleshner Fantasy wrote:While OSU and Michigan seem to be the top 2 candidates right now, keep on eye on schools like Florida, Penn St, and Oregon. There is still a lot of time for him to decide, so a lot can happen. Don't be shocked if he winds up going to school that isn't one of his top 2 at this point in time.
Penn St. isn't going to get him and unless he plans on committing to a school he has never been too in Oregon or Florida (not to mention these schools are extremely far away from his father, who is disabled and he has said he wants to stay near) I wouldn't count on the choice being anyone other than the two Big 10 schools.
I still say it's OSU, but I am beginning to think Michigan has a chance.
A Fleshner Fantasy wrote:While OSU and Michigan seem to be the top 2 candidates right now, keep on eye on schools like Florida, Penn St, and Oregon. There is still a lot of time for him to decide, so a lot can happen. Don't be shocked if he winds up going to school that isn't one of his top 2 at this point in time.
Penn St. isn't going to get him and unless he plans on committing to a school he has never been too in Oregon or Florida (not to mention these schools are extremely far away from his father, who is disabled and he has said he wants to stay near) I wouldn't count on the choice being anyone other than the two Big 10 schools.
I still say it's OSU, but I am beginning to think Michigan has a chance.
Like I said in the other thread, he isn't coming to UF. I think he will end up at OSU as well, but he does like RR and his system so could work.
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