Pryor in OSU's spring game
Pryor went 13-18 with 191 yds and 2 TDs in OSU's spring game. He apparently looked comfortable in the pocket and was accurate...It's worth noting that OSU's spring game is between two teams made up of ones and twos, so Pryor wasn't just going up against the back-up defense.
We can poke at him all we want about the photo with the car or whatever, but he's likely to be a hell of a player.
April 27th, 2009 at 10:05 AM ^
Three more years of losses.
April 27th, 2009 at 10:08 AM ^
There's an aboverage chance that tUOS conspired to appear better than they actually are.
April 27th, 2009 at 10:20 AM ^
If you didn't already realize that "he's likely to be a hell of a player", you haven't been paying attention. At all.
But he was one hell of a player last year, had an all-American running back, and two second-round receivers to throw to, and OSU still ended up with the 70+ offense in the nation. You can probably expect that to increase as he matures and improves, but even with improvement this year, his numbers may not increase all that much.
And per playing against 1s and 2s, let us not forget that much of the OSU defense was decimated due to graduation. They'll always be good, but their real starters are NFL-bound now.
April 27th, 2009 at 10:28 AM ^
So Tate looks decent at our spring game and some people jump to conclusions and start making McFarlin-like predictions of OSU dominance, 10+ win season, and so on. They are rightfully told to take it easy because it was only a Spring Game and should lower expectations.
Now Pryor has a very similar spring game and people jump to the opposite conclusion - that OSU will continue to kick our ass, that Pryor really is a great QB, blah blah - all from his spring game. Yet, somehow I know that these "Pryor is great" comments will generate less criticism than the "Tate is great because of the Spring Game" comments. Anyone else find that strange?
Just an observation.
And PS because I know MGoBlog loves to jump all over incomplete thoughts - I think Pryor is a good (but definitely not great) Qb that will improve and could turn into something special. I think Tate is in approximately the same boat. Yes, I understand that we have much more data on Pryor since he has already played a year. Finally, I think spring games are good for learning small things about players and that's about it. It's still a scrimmage. Pryor could still fail miserably despite a good spring game (yes, I know no one has said otherwise).
Ha, look at what MGoBlog does to an attempt to make a small point.
April 27th, 2009 at 10:38 AM ^
Thanks, Captain Obvious.
April 27th, 2009 at 12:04 PM ^
A reasonable explanation would be that the two QBs were playing under different circumstances and with different levels of competition around them, therefore it is fair to make different conclusions.
However, I have a feeling that some people are just being contrarian and/or pessimistic. This isn't necessarily bad, though: the more varied predictions the boards make, the more likely that at least one person is right so that we collectively look smarter.
April 27th, 2009 at 12:07 PM ^
Ha, look at what MGoBlog does to an attempt to make a small point.
Nice post. I fear that our current drought (relatively) has led to an OSU- or Sparty-like self-loathing and pessimism in our fan-base.
I think there were two groups who predicted a drop-off for UM, those who wanted Carr out and those who didn't like the Rodriguez hire. Last year proved them both right (in their own minds). Now going forward, the anti-Rodriguez crowd is anticipating more struggles while the pro-Rodriguez crowd probably wants to temper expectations to prevent disappointment and calls (however premature and misguided) for change.
April 27th, 2009 at 10:31 AM ^
It was a Spring Frickin Game. TP is not Jesus. He does not walk on water. He is susceptible to the same forces as every other QB. He will win and he will LOSE.
April 27th, 2009 at 10:44 AM ^
two more years of him.
April 27th, 2009 at 10:52 AM ^
In case you missed it and are as obsessed as I am:
http://mgovideo.com/index.php?page=torrent-details&id=50cb787df47d3436b…
April 27th, 2009 at 11:04 AM ^
I agree with your observation Captain and would just like to say that I am tickled to death that the posionous nuts had a good outing. I am as equally thrilled that the OSU fans like to run over to our board post his stats (I am not saying it was done in this thread but in previous thread this occured)and liked trained puppies we all shiver in fear of the big bad wolf. Look, they got a good team. I am happy that their team is good. It makes it all the more precious when we insert foot up their pasty asses.
And before the naysayers come out and say that David will never defeat Goliath...(since when did Michigan ever consider itself David?) I'd like to point out that a lot of smooth stones were hurled in the direction of Cooper's juggernauts and it is way past time to hurl some more south with extreme f**king prejudice.
They all can kiss that spot on my ass where the boil resides.
Insert crazy rant about OSU here
Message to Poisonous nut fan. Our boys are hungry. They are being trained by the legendary cage fighter Barwis. He is teaching them to love red meat and RR is showing them where they can find plenty of it. Word is out Tressel. There is a 50,000 dollar bounty for the first person that brings back your sweater vest. So do us a favor and buy a jacket!!
End totally absent of reality rant here.
April 27th, 2009 at 11:14 AM ^
Their defense should be very good with 7 to 8 starters returning.
But I've read that OSU fans were not pleased with the O-line play last fall.
OSU should have another good year, except for that USC game at home. Looking at USC's road non-conf. record, it's about as dominating as their home record in the Coliseum.
Then there is the Michigan game in Ann Arbor this Noveember where I think anything can happen and probably will.
April 27th, 2009 at 11:43 AM ^
sorry to disagree with you but right now the osu-usc game is a toss-up. usc lost a lot of it's defense, will be starting a sophmore qb who has never started a game, plus it's at the "shoe" with the elusivness of pryor i believe this game has to be set at usc -3 at best. too bad sanchez had to leave.
I went to the SC spring game on saturday. The defense is still awesome (best secondary in the country, more athletic front 4, and the new linebackers will be NFL picks just like the old ones) and they have three QB's who, while definitely not as athletic, are much more polished passers than Pryor. The only way OSU keeps it close is if Carroll goes conservative with the playcalling (as he did at time last year when they just leaned on the D against Cal and a few other teams).
Also, OSU loses a ton of players too, and on both sides of the ball (SC gets their whole O back except for Sanchez and Turner).
I agree, I have a lot of buddies out here who are big SC fans, and they keep me pretty well updated. I think USC will smoke OSU again this year, unless Pryor turns in a Heisman type performance. One of those SC QB's will be solid, and other than that they lost little on offense. And I agree with purplestuff, even though they lost those 3 LB's, the 3 that will replace them will surprisingly be only a small downgrade. USC was far better last year, and OSU actually lost more than SC did, arguably.
Where do you live out here purple?
I live down in Orange. Moved out here to go to law school at SC so I follow their program pretty closely. Galippo and Morgan are legit at LB and I think Everson Griffen is going to have a HUGE year (he seems to finally "get it" and if anybody remembers him from Army AA game he has unreal talent).
Barring a Vince Young-style scrambling performance (he won't throw efficiently against that secondary) and multiple turnovers from the Trojans, I think SC will roll again.
I take it you're out of LS then? Do you work in Irvine now? I'm a litigation consultant, and we have an office in Irvine.
Was working at a corporate/real estate litigation firm in Irvine but left at the beginning of the year. The "having to do legal work" part of being a lawyer didn't really agree with me.
That's the same reason I dropped out of law school.
April 27th, 2009 at 11:32 AM ^
I posted this only for the sake of knowing about U of M's arch rival. I realize a lot of people don't need to be told that Pryor is going to be really good, but this board (as a whole) talks a lot of crap about him. I don't think it does much good to convince yourself that your opponent isn't as good as he is...I'm definitely not hawking gloominess about Michigan's prospects against OSU. I'm only saying Pryor = probably really tough opponent.
April 27th, 2009 at 11:35 AM ^
Via Rittenberg's blog:
"You saw today, and the world saw, that I can throw the ball," Pryor told reporters. "I think I played exceptionally well. [I'm] getting better at those little things -- footwork, throwing the ball in there and learning the offense."
April 27th, 2009 at 11:49 AM ^
like "throwing the ball in there" (presumeably to where a WR can catch it), and "learning the offense", both are obviously "little things"... congrats to him on taking the time out of his schedule to understand them.
I wonder what "big things" he's been focusing on instead? How do I get The Vest to loan me a car now that I'm enrolled? How to feel good about my passing game now that a better passer isn't here to make me sit? Whether "aboverage" would be worthy of submission to the African-American Language Dictionary people?
April 27th, 2009 at 11:52 AM ^
You brought this little gem over from the Dior Mathis thread? Do me a favor. No, better yet, do us all a favor. Let that thread die over there.
April 27th, 2009 at 12:24 PM ^
Pryor is definitely a good player, but the guy can't keep his mouth shut, even when he is competing against his own teammates.
I saw this tidbit which explained why Pryor didn't play in the 4th quarter of the spring game, "Pryor finished the quarter 10-of-13 passing for 158 yards and the two scores. He spent the rest of the game on the sideline after being "ejected" by coach Tressel for "talking trash" to the Scarlet defenders."
He also got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in OSU's jersey scrimmage the previous week for jawing at an OSU defender.
I would love to have his talent on his team, but with all that took place during his recruitment coupled with the stuff he says and does at OSU, I am just not sure I would embrace this guy as a Wolverine.
April 27th, 2009 at 12:34 PM ^
I ask that as real question, not a rhetorical one. He was only scheduled to play three quarters. I wasn't on the sideline, though, so I can't say for sure what happened.
Here ya go. It's the last paragraph of the entire article.
http://ohiostate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=939738
No. Tressel was joking with reporters when he said Pryor was held out for talking trash. He was "ejected" because he's too important to get hurt in the Spring Game. Tressel also shortened the fourth quarter to 8 minutes.
Got a link for that?
April 27th, 2009 at 12:35 PM ^
I will admit that I only watched the Big Ten Network highlights, but I had a few thoughts:
1) Of course he will be somewhat improved. Having started for most of last year and having a full offseason, they should have been able to work on his horrible mechanics. They couldn't have gotten worse.
2) He did have some nice throws, but many of them were to wide-open receivers, and some of the completions to wide-open receivers were still errant (e.g. long TD very underthrown).
3) I find it encouraging that their receivers were running wide open in the secondary. It is possible that the receivers who couldn't make it on the field for them last year are better than their NFL-bound departing receivers, but it is just as likely that their defense will have some major holes through which our speedy spread-n-shred receivers can run wild.
4) If our incoming true freshman's spring performance was comparable to that of a second-year starter that was the #1 recruit in his class the year before, I am pretty happy.
April 27th, 2009 at 12:56 PM ^
15 yard cushion + secondary falling asleep = ??????
50 yard TD to Washington.
I was more impressed with Keith Nichol.
There are going be alot of people who will be surprised at how good Nichol will play at times this upcoming season. MSU's QB situation isn't as dire as some make it out to be. The biggest question about Sparty is their offensive line. It wasn't very good last year and there are concerns about it going into this season. They have good skill position players, though.
very true, you hit it on the spot. I was actually able to see the game live, and let me tell you that Nichol was very impressive.
Comparing him with Forcier...I don't know. Forcier seemed more comfortable with the offense, but I was more a bit more impressed with Nichol's arm. Then again, Nichol does have one more year under the belt than Tate.
My big question about Sparty isn't so much about the OL as it is about the tailback position. Ringer had no reliable backup last season. Who carries the ball now that he's gone?
OSU will lose this year to Michigan. By the time of the annual OSU/UM game, Tate and the rest of the team will have 10 games to develop and improve. I think we have the advantage unless one of our key players isn't 100% (God forbid Tate gets hurt). This game will be close but look for michigan to steal it at the end with a big running play.