BuckeyeXtra - The Bottom Line

Stare at the stats too long and it feels as if you're reading the Gettysburg Address in pig Latin.

[Vinny]

Pryor is not consistent enough in any aspect of being a Qb so as to allow to OSU to win the big games. He is lacking (the kids from Toledo, Bowling Green, and Cincinnati are better Qbs), his Qb coach is lacking (The Youngstown Connection), and his offensive coordinator, Jimmy Tressel, who designs and makes the in-game play calls, is lacking. And that's why OSU is lacking the needed production and leadership from the position that is requisite to winning the Big Games. I don't see how that changes, barring there's a change in who the head coach is.

[45has2]

All I can say is I wish DickRod had successfully recruited TP. He is easy to defend, load the box and dare him... er beg him to throw.

[Charles David Spohn]

One leaf for the offense?!? How about taking away a leaf or two from previous games!!!

The OSU offense that showed up against the #7 ranked rushing defense and #8 ranked passing defense in the conference looked like some high school squad!

Whether it's the line play (which sucks), or the play from the QB position yesterday (which also sucked), or the inability of the coaching staff to prepare and motivate the offense (which clearly sucks), this is a pure offensive joke to fans!

I'm sure the offense felt rough and tough after hanging 30 points on Illinois and 31 points on Indiana (BTW...hapless Virginia...which couldn't beat William & Mary...hung 47 on that same Indiana squad) but, frankly, please quit talking & PLAY LIKE YOU WERE RECRUITED TO PLAY...& COACH LIKE YOU'RE GETTING PAID QUITE WELL TO COACH...OR GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY!!!!

Defense & Special Teams: YOU DID GREAT! THANKS FOR WINNING THE GAME!!!

[CincyBuck]

Okay, okay, okay, I know it really seems like Pryor took a HUGE step backwards, but you really have to take a look at the big picture. Now, I by no means am completely defending his performance Saturday, but we need to remind ourselves that good Sophomore QBs are not a given, even with someone with Pryors natural athleticism. First of all, any and all QBs, all the way up to the NFL, have bad days (Brees vs BUF w/ a 72.8 rating, not to mention his next week vs NYJ as an example). This was certainly the case for Pryor. His offensive line didn't help, but they were in disarray missing key guys. Yes, we aren't the only team battling those things, but yes, it makes a difference for everyone. Lack of reps (2 pick 6's and a kickoff return, tho fantastic results helped keep the offense off the field) didn't help much.

But here's the silver lining that all of you homers seem to be overlooking: given Pryor had such a terrible start, that last drive of the second half says VOLUMES of who he is as a person, player and leader of this team. Now take this: Wisky scores a TD on a fake FG right after Pryor's INT and that the Bucks came back out to go 3-and-out on the next drive, on top of a ensuing 14 play, 7 minute drive that resulted in a FG almost assureadly putting up Wisky going into the locker room for the half. Given all that and the lack of leadership you all say he has, it would have been easy to assume that he would come out and go another 3-and-out. But, the fact that he picked himself up, brushed himself off, composed himself and took HIS team 88 yds, that included a 27 yd rush by Pryor and a 22 and 32 yd passes, resulting in a go ahead TD going into the half shows exactly how good he is, can and will be. He performed the "2 minute drill" to almost perfection and all you whiners still pick him apart. You all complained after the USC game that he didn't have the ability to take his team down the field when it mattered...e.g. The Two-Minute Drill. That also negates the comments of not having a coaching staff that can motivate. I think they did a pretty good job in helping Pryor forget the first 25 minutes of the games and reminding him of who he is and what he can do.

All you people need to lay off this twenty year old kid. He had a bad day. So what. NFL QBs have that all the time. We won didn't we? He's a work in progress. Good sophomore QBs are not supposed to be automatic. To think that he's going to grow the most between his freshman and sophomore years is ludicrous.

Some of you fans make me sick and you embarrass Buckeye Nation.