Terrelle Pryor reaction from the Web

As you might imagine, Terrelle Pryor's decision to leave Ohio State shook college football and dominated the headlines on Tuesday. How many quarterbacks have won as much as Pryor has but still left such a bad taste in fans' mouths?

Here's a sampling of some of the media pieces on the now-former Buckeyes star from around the Internet:

FoxSports.com's Thayer Evans: "Pryor’s focus consistently led back to one thing: himself. And while some may foolishly believe Pryor’s statement Tuesday that his decision to forgo his senior year at scandal-ridden Ohio State was out of “the best interests of my teammates,” the truth is that he did it out of selfishness. He did it only to escape being investigated by the NCAA and to try to salvage what’s left of his bleak future.

"Sadly, just like Ohio State made sure that Pryor could play in January’s Sugar Bowl and not serve his five-game suspension for him swapping memorabilia with a Columbus tattoo parlor owner, it once again did him a favor by allowing him to depart on his own terms."

The Columbus Dispatch's Rob Oller: "No question that in losing Pryor the program gets some needed clarity and closure - no more wondering if Pryor gets his job back at midseason - and a positive public relations bump. One more problem removed.

"But regardless of whether Pryor is the killer whale some make him out to be, his presence on the field will be missed. Did he struggle with reading defenses? Yes. And his passing was too erratic. But he also made plays few others can. A former Big Ten coach recently told me the secret to success is having 80 percent of your players not lose the game so that the other 20 percent can win it. Pryor was among that 20 percent.

"Unfortunately for Ohio State, he also was among the 5 percent or so capable of sinking the ship and swimming away from the wreckage. And he's still out there. Approach at your own risk."

SportsIllustrated.com's Andy Staples: "Of course, if he wanted to, Pryor could burn Ohio State's football program to the ground. That's why the Buckeyes had better be nice. Pryor could explain how that gear got out of Ohio State's locker room. He could explain how he wound up taking a two-day, out-of-state test drive. He could explain why he drove cars with dealer plates. No matter what he says, that wouldn't be good for Ohio State.

"If Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith is smart and clings to any shred of hope for his continued employment in Columbus, he has quietly convinced boosters to buy Pryor's silence. That's perfectly legal now, and if we learned anything from Reggie Bush, it's that the cheapskate could have kept USC off the NCAA chopping block had he paid a measly $300,000 to a couple of wannabe agents to keep their mouths shut. Pryor doesn't have to play by the NCAA's rules anymore. Ohio State officials should do everything within their power to keep him happy. They should be good at that; it sounds as if that's how they got in this mess in the first place."

Cleveland Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto: "Pryor is departing because of the cars, or something else that has yet to become public. There must have been a sense from his camp that a longer suspension could be in the future. Or maybe Pryor sensed that OSU didn't want him back, so he made this decision.

"The bottom line is this is what OSU needs to move forward, despite Pryor having a 31-4 record in three seasons, along with three Big Ten titles and three victories over Michigan. Those glory days are over, thanks to the Buckeyes' poor decisions and the NCAA's intense investigation."

The Sporting News' Dave Curtis: "And so, Pryor walks, defiant like usual. Even in his final words as a Buckeye -- 'In the best interest of my teammates, I have made the decision to forgo my senior year of football,' he said in his farewell statement -- Pryor had it all backward.

"No, Terrelle. Leaving Ohio State is in your best interest. You get to go try the NFL, viewed in the same manner as an early entrant to the draft. You escape signs and chants during road games, reminding you of how you embarrassed your school and devastated your program. our teammates, especially the young ones, will do your penance. Scholarship losses are coming, and the short-handed Buckeyes will struggle to continue the team’s championship run. The best interest of his teammates? Pryor’s decision showed again Tuesday, as it has throughout his time in the limelight, that his first interest is himself."

CBSSports.com's NFL Draft blog by Rob Rang: "There has been a great deal of speculation that Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor would make the jump to the NFL via the July supplemental draft, but I spoke with two NFL sources in the past few days that believe Pryor would be making a mistake in doing so. One source characterized Pryor as a "mid-round pick at best" if he were to enter the supplemental draft. Both sources questioned whether the Buckeye passer had the poise and accuracy to be successful in the NFL. ... Pryor was characterized as a 'basketball player playing football' and one whose lack of maturity could make it difficult for him to find a niche in the pro game despite his obviously unique combination of size and athleticism.

"Said one scout, 'He [Pryor] is a nice college player playing in a system that caters to his strengths. He’s a basketball player playing football, though, when it comes to the NFL. He’s not a quarterback. He doesn’t have the makeup, the release or the accuracy for it. And he isn’t one of those guys that you can make into another position. He’s going to run well and people are going to get excited about him, but he isn’t a football player. What you’ve seen at Ohio State – on the field and off – is what you get with him.'"

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/42886/terrelle-pryor-reaction-from-the-web

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