Not Like 'Pryor' Performances

The 2010 Rose Bowl game was grand marshaled by The Ohio State Sophomore QB Terrelle Pryor. In his two year career in Columbus Pryor has seen highs and lows and has not been able to play up to the disgustingly high expectations that were placed on him as a Senior coming out of Jeanette, PA two years ago. But as the calender and decade turned, maybe just maybe, the Vince Young type performance in Pasadena yesterday stamped a new arrival for Pryor into the world of college football. On a day that brought the Tim Tebow era to an end, could this brilliant performance usher in the TP era? I don't want to get too far ahead of myself here, but on that magical Friday afternoon in SoCal, Pryor and the Buckeyes found something to look forward to in 2010.

As frustrated fans in Columbus screamed for 'The Vest' to move TP to WR following the embarrassing loss at Purdue, there was no panic amongst the team as they ran the table despite limited offensive numbers. Coach Tressell is extremely confident in the system and program and as the years go by he knows that although mind-numbingly boring most of the time, success usually follows. In Tressell's words he has seen Terrelle 'progress' and 'grow' as games and snaps add up. And if you watched the Rose Bowl Game that progression and Growth was extremely evident.

With most of the pre-game focus on Jeremiah Masoli and the Oregon Ducks high-powered offense versus the vaunted Ohio State Buckeye defense, Pryor and the Buckeye offensive unit seemed to be a mere sideshow. But when the clock hit zero in darkening orange dusk in Pasadena it was Pryor who looked like the 2009 Masoli leading his Buckeyes to a 26-17 win. Pryor himself had more total yards (336) than the Ducks usually scary but just pedestrian offense (260). Pryor threw for a career high 266 yards with 2 TD's and also added 72 rushing yards. It was an eye opening night, and something all Buckeye fans and national media have been waiting for out of Pryor. And in the end everything came up roses for TP and the Buckeyes in Pasadena. Is the next stop a National Championship? I can't say that will be the case, but this performance will be the talk of CBus until the Spring game...it's gonna be a long Winter.