From The Editor's Desk
No Apology Needed
By Tony DeFazio

Terrelle Pryor is halfway through his sophomore season as Ohio State's starting quarterback. His overall record as a starter is 15-3. Pryor's Buckeyes lost to an 11-2 Penn State team with him behind center as a true freshman; his second loss was early this season to then-No. 3 Southern Cal.

After falling to USC, a game in which Pryor struggled and looked uncomfortable on the team's final drive, his skills -- for the first time in his athletic career -- faced some criticism.

"The game's too big for him."

"He's not ready for prime-time."

And that comes with the territory. He certainly soaked in the accolades when they came his way before. When, as the most sought-after recruit in the country, the entire student section at Beaver Stadium chanted his name in an attempt to woo him to State College two years ago. When he was anointed the Buckeye' starter less than a month into his college career. When he was named the Big Ten's preseason player of the year this summer.

But it cuts both ways, and when he accepted the scholarship to Ohio State that's what he signed up for.

And when the Buckeyes lost to a bad Purdue squad and Pryor turned the ball over four times, essentially costing his team the game…

"Ohio State can't win with him," the critics contended.

"Pryor stinks right now. Michigan is counting its blessings that Pryor took his circus act to Columbus," wrote one Detroit columnist.

"He's playing the wrong position," said another analyst. "He's an athlete, not a quarterback."

The language was far worse on internet message boards and radio call-in shows in Buckeye-crazed Columbus.

Yet through October, Ohio State was 7-2 and battling for the Big 10's BCS berth with Pryor at the helm. He has produced 19 touchdowns and 2,097 total yards. The quarterback for undefeated and top-ranked Florida, Heisman-winner Tim Tebow, has produced 18 TDs and 1,874 yards. That's not to say that Pryor is playing as well as Tebow. He's not. His turnovers are too high-9 interceptions and 3 fumbles lost-and his completion percentage too low at 54.6.

But here's another difference between the two: Tebow, after a lackluster October victory over Mississippi State, avoided any criticism about his performance by dodging reporters after the game. After Ohio State's loss to Purdue, Pryor stood up and answered every question from the media, accepting the blame and pointing the finger squarely at himself.

What it comes down to is this: Terrelle Pryor is a sophomore, starting for one of the top football programs in the nation. He's not a great player; not yet - but he's a damned good one.

Am I making apologies for the local kid?

Hardly.

Pitt and Penn State fans who watched Pryor spurn their programs in favor of Ohio State now fuel much of the negativity. And through October both Pitt and Penn State were getting terrific performances from their own quarterbacks, Bill Stull and Darryl Clark respectively.

Stull and Clark are seniors who both endured their fair share of struggles along the way. Just ask Pitt's Stull, who was booed by his own fans even before he took a snap this season.

But anyone expecting four years of national championship games and Heisman-like seasons from Pryor has no sense of history whatsoever. It just doesn't happen; not for anyone, let alone a quarterback. Ask Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen.

Fifteen wins and three losses over his first year-and-a-half? In the thick of the Big 10 title race as a sophomore?

Yeah, he's definitely a quarterback. And yeah, Ohio State can -- and already is -- winning with Terrelle Pryor.

Apologist? More like a realist.

Tony DeFazio is the editor of the Pittsburgh Sports Report.