Terrelle Pryor Leaves Ohio State: 8 People, Programs That Will Benefit in 2011
The departure of Terrelle Pryor has been a seismic event for Ohio State football, which is still trying to recover from the scandal that also forced the resignation of Jim Tressel earlier in May.
These two moves have completely obliterated any hopes of a national title shot if the NCAA hasn't already banned them from a bowl game this season.
But although the team as a whole has been crippled by Pryor's departure, there are people and teams that naturally will benefit, even within OSU.
Here are eight of those people and teams.
1. Wisconsin Badgers
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The Badgers fell short in the Rose Bowl to TCU on New Year's Day, but now with Pryor gone from Ohio State, they look like a favorite to get back there again.
Wisconsin would have been facing a nightmarish scenario of going up against Pryor in Columbus at night with the Buckeyes having two weeks to prepare for Bret Bielema's squad.
But with Pryor as well as Tressel gone, the task seems so much easier than before.
If they can win in Columbus, the Badgers have an inside track to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game.
2. Penn State Nittany Lions
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Joe Paterno's squad will be lucky that they don't have to face Terrelle Pryor after suffering back-to-back crushing defeats at the hands of the Buckeyes.
His team shut down Pryor as a freshman in 2008, but then gave up 62 points in the last two games to Ohio State.
With a young team that should make big strides in 2011, especially defensively with a strong 2010 recruiting class beginning to mature, Penn State is a darkhorse out of the Leaders Division.
Facing an Ohio State team late in the year with a relatively young QB potentially starting for Ohio State could be quite enticing for a PSU team to take advantage of, especially if a trip to Indy is on the line.
3. Michigan Wolverines
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No school would be happier about Pryor's departure from Ohio State than their archrivals from Ann Arbor.
The Wolverines had witnessed Pryor beat them three straight times, as they were outscored 110-24 in the last three games against Ohio State.
Michigan has been slightly trending upward while Ohio State has slipped due to the allegations and negativity surrounding the program.
While Ohio State can still out-talent Michigan on the football field, they have a chance to make this a rivalry again on Nov. 26 in Ann Arbor with a win.
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4. Andrew Luck
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Before Pryor's initial five-game suspension was announced, a common thought among college football experts was that he and Stanford QB Andrew Luck would be the favorites for the Heisman Trophy in 2011.
Now with Pryor gone, the Heisman is Luck's to lose this season.
The battle between Pryor and Luck would've been entertaining to watch if Pryor was eligible for the full season.
But since that's not going to happen, if Luck doesn't win the Heisman, it will be a shocker to many out there.
5. Luke Fickell
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This may come as a shock to readers here, but the departure of Pryor could be a good thing for a young first-year head coach like Luke Fickell.
This situation had the potential to be a massive distraction with essentially two different teams during the season: Ohio State without Pryor for the first five games and OSU with him back for the rest of 2011.
That type of situation can harm chemistry, especially on a team that is high on unproven, young talent.
Fickell will be best served having to prepare for one scenario for the full season and just return the rest of the Suspended Five as if they were injured to start the season.
6. Braxton Miller
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If one player on the Ohio State team can benefit from this situation more than others, Braxton Miller is that guy.
The latest blue-chip QB recruit for Ohio State enrolled early and reportedly grew greatly over the spring and had a very good spring scrimmage for a true freshman.
Losing Terrelle Pryor almost assures that Braxton Miller will get a chance at starting time for most if not all of the 2011 season.
Whether he does well right off the bat or not doesn't matter, because it seems as if the goal will be to get the lumps out of the way for 2012 and 2013, regardless of whom the next coach will be.
If Miller starts, this team will have their sights set on retooling and making 2011 a learning year, as it probably should be.
7. Nebraska Cornhuskers
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Were Ohio State still intact, it would seem a likely conclusion that the two best teams in the Big Ten, Ohio State and newcomer Nebraska, would meet in Indianapolis for a shot at the conference championship.
These two teams will meet Oct. 8 in Lincoln, which was supposed to be Pryor's debut in the 2011 season.
Now that he is off the OSU roster, this ultimately swings the edge definitively towards the Huskers, especially at home.
And it means that Nebraska is more likely to represent the Big Ten in the BCS, as Ohio State is not likely to play in the title game this season.
8. Denard Robinson
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The breakout player in college football to start the 2010 season suffered a physical breakdown that ultimately wore him down as the end of the season came.
But for Denard Robinson, Pryor's departure makes him the most entertaining and electrifying playmaker once again.
While we don't know what effect he will have in Brady Hoke's pro-style attack, it's not too difficult to imagine that Robinson will still be strong this year for the Wolverines.
Denard ultimately now jumps into that role as the feature QB in the Big Ten with Pryor out of Columbus, and if he wants to stay there, he needs to stay healthy.
For more college football news and updates, visit The BCS Blitz and follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim.
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