Turning the Corner: Terrelle Pryor Becoming Who We All Hoped He Could Be

Returning to the school he looked past in high school and with Penn State fans sporting insulting T-shirts, Terrelle Pryor made sure he would silence his critics, at least for one night.

Ohio State was a media underdog against favored Penn State, but put forth a dominant second half and three Pryor touchdowns to score a stunning win in Happy Valley, 24-7.

With all the spotlight on Pryor, Ohio State played more of a managing-type of offense, where they made an emphasis on running the football. The only difference in the old run-run-pass offense is how they ran the football.

The way they did it on Saturday was not the usual halfback dives that Ohio State fans have seen for years.

The offense ran bubble screens to WRs DeVier Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher, reverses, and even Wildcat sets with both Dan Herron and Brandon Saine.

It's safe to say that Saturday was probably a preview of Tresselball 2.0. What made it work so well was WR Ray Small had an excellent day of returning punts, with over 130 yards, including a return that set up the opening score.

But the night in Happy Valley was all about Terrelle Pryor.

The embattled QB has dealt with enormous criticism and endless comparisons to former Texas QB Vince Young.

Like Young, Pryor had struggled early on in his career, making many mistakes and not letting the game come to him.

But Young did find a way to turn it on and he eventually became the legend that everyone remembers with back-to-back stunning wins in the Rose Bowl against Michigan in 2005 and USC in 2006.

Pryor has been criticized for trying to do too much and looking so tense on the field.

But in the last few weeks, Pryor has looked like a different player, granted the previous two teams have not been quality teams.

Pryor has improved dramatically at managing games and trusting his playmakers to make the big plays, especially Saine and Posey.

It's tough to tell how long the new Pryor will last, but Buckeye fans have been waiting for this for a long time.

Since the recruitment of a player many felt to be the best QB out of high school since Tim Tebow, Pryor has had to deal with dozens of enormous expectations.

Pryor had been handed the keys to a young offense to start the season, and they showed flashes of brilliance along with inconsistencies.

Now with November here, Ohio State's offensive progression has been dramatic as the consistency has improved, with fewer turnovers and punts in the last few weeks.

Coaching has something to do with it as well, as the playcalling in the second half of the game showed with reverses, deep passes, and some Wildcat play.

Saturday brings forth the unofficial Big Ten title game between Ohio State and the suddenly vulnerable Iowa Hawkeyes, who might be playing without QB Ricky Stanzi after suffering a major ankle injury in the loss to Northwestern.

If Pryor continues to make these incredible leaps in confidence and performance, along with the type of preparations he made for Penn State, there is no reason to think the Buckeyes will not make the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1997.

With all of the frustration the inconsistencies and the loss to Purdue gave the Buckeyes this season, it might have been for the best if Ohio State can do the unprecedented and win a fifth-straight Big Ten title.

And Pryor, the true sophomore who has probably been one of the most criticized players in the country, has a chance to take his team there.