Penn State vs. Ohio State: Terrelle Pryor Shows His Support for Tom Bradley

At his weekly press conference yesterday, Penn State interim head coach Tom Bradley answered a lot of questions about the team’s current attitude ahead of this week’s clash with Ohio State. He even cleared up some rumors about the team’s bowl eligibility and its ability to play next season.

One of the little interesting sidenotes that came out of his meeting with the media, though, was when Bradley said he had received a text message of support from former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

In 2008, Bradley and Pryor developed a bond. The 55-year-old—then an assistant coach—devoted a good chunk of his time trying to convince the former No. 1 superstar recruit to make the trek from Jeanette, Pennsylvania over to State College. However, his recruiting efforts weren’t enough to sway Pryor, who ultimately chose the Buckeyes.

For the first three years of his collegiate career, it looked like Pryor had made the right decision. He led Ohio State to two BCS bowl games and won MVP honors in both. However, it would be the scandal involving him and a few of his teammates (selling memorabilia to a local tattoo parlor) that ultimately came to overshadow all of his on-field accomplishments and define him as a college athlete.

Pryor made the early exodus from Columbus with his head held low as a scandal engulfed the program and subsequently cost head coach Jim Tressel his job.

Pryor knows what it’s like to have the spotlight of the college football world shining down on him. While you can’t compare what happened at Ohio State to the horrific scandal that Penn State is facing, he can at least relate to what Tom Bradley is going through. Bradley also now has the spotlight of the college football world shining on him and the program he just recently inherited.

Bradley has suddenly been thrust into a position that no coach ever wants to be in. He’s been asked to replace a friend and former colleague and do so under extremely difficult circumstances.

The former defensive coordinator could use all of the support he can get right now, no matter how unlikely the source.

However, something tells me that Pryor's words of encouragement for the Penn State head coach—right before a crucial division game against his former team—is probably not going to help repair his strained relationship with Buckeyes fans.