The Pursuit of the Next Quarterback

Drew Thurman (4:35 pm)

With the many questions that surround the Buckeyes this spring and summer, quarterback is not really much of a concern. As long as health prevails, Terrelle Pryor will be the man for the next couple of years. The issue is, what happens if Pryor heads out early for the draft?

Well, the Buckeyes first of all have Joe Bauserman. If Pryor does indeed to head to NFL after his junior season, Bauserman could step in as the starter for his senior year. Also there is addition Kenny Guiton, who committed to the Buckeyes late in the process after Tajh Boyd and Kevin Newsome headed elsewhere. Guiton is very much an unproven commidity, but he definitely has the athleticism to play the position. With that said, the staff obviously wants to bring someone in for 2010 class, especially a high profile quarterback to have a year to progress under Pryor.

Early excitement built around dual-threat quarterback Devin Gardner. A Buckeye offer never came, and Gardner wasted no time committing to Michigan. The Buckeyes seemed to be focused elsewhere, primarily on Nick Montana (pictured). It will be a battle for the Buckeyes to pull him in, so the Buckeyes are now scrambling to show interest in some others. Let's take a look at the possibilities. 

Plan A Option:

Nick Montana- Everyone knows that the Buckeyes want Montana. I was surprised they passed on Gardner and put all the stock in Montana, but that was the decision that was made. Montana likes the Buckeyes, but he holds offers from schools like LSU, Notre Dame, Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Washington, and Stanford. Many of the schools have proven to "show off" pro-style quarterbacks much better than the Buckeyes, which could hurt them in the long run. The odds don't look great at this point, but who knows how things could play out in the end. Regardless, the Buckeyes want Montana first and foremost.

Plan B Options: 

Andrew Hendrix- The 6'3'' 220 pound Hendrix hails from Moeller High School in Cincinnati. Hendrix does not have a Buckeye offer at this point, but holds some from Illinois, Kansas, Boston College, Cincinnati, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Virginia. The Buckeyes have stayed in contact with Hendrix, and an offer could come quickly if Montana decides to head elsewhere. Hendrix likes the Buckeyes too, but no one knows how long he would wait around. His film is pretty impressive, and Hendrix shows a strong arm and some nice wheels. With all the Montana hype, many Buckeye fans have overlooked how good he truly is.

Kofi Hughes- Hughes' name has just popped on the radar screen. Bill Kurelic said that Dick Tressel was in Indiana on Wednesday to check in on Hughes. Hughes is 6'2'' 195 pounds, and plays at Cathedral in Indianapolis. He is very much an unproven commodity, but threw for 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns along with 1,500 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns. He has incredible speed and athleticism, so he could play wide receiver  as well. The Buckeyes have the eye on him as a possible Plan B at quarterback as well though, so keep watching for his name.