Forget Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State Has Bigger Problems

I don't know how many people were actually surprised by the announcement that Terrelle Pryor wouldn't be tossing the football around for Ohio State in 2011, but I can definitely say that—to me—it would have been a bigger surprise had he decided to return.

Let's keep it real here folks, Pryor was already suspended for the first five games of the season, Tressell (his ultimate enabler) was out, and it was looking like Pryor himself was heading for a Reggie Bush style ambush of his own. So, in short, he would have been a damned fool to stay in Columbus for another season. 

Of course those who are in the "man-up and face the music camp" would say that he [Pryor] is a punk for leaving in the midst of such turmoil and he should stay and face the music—take his punishment from the NCAA like a man.

Well, considering this is the same kid who was cool trading sigs (signatures) for tats, I'm not sure why anyone would think he would do such a thing. I mean, be honest with yourself, would you sit around and wait for the hammer to drop on you and your team? Especially when it's looking more and more likely that the hammer that's dropping will look a lot more like a machete than a mallet?

Just saying.

Quite frankly, Ohio State has much bigger problems than losing it's head coach and it's star player. I mean that program is a mess—or as this Southerner might say—a hot mess. The situation at Ohio State won't end well, folks.

I suspect those fans and pundits who saw the punishment USC got handed after it was determined that Reggie Bush ran afoul of the law, will be looking for something close to or harsher than that for Ohio State given the obvious lack of institutional control.

That sweater-vest wearing snake, Jim Tressell, got off easy if you ask me. He'll be persona non grata for a while, but give him a couple years to shake the dirt off and you'll see some AD on a podium somewhere giving a speech about how Tressell knows how to win and will be a great asset to XYZ University—that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

As for the Buckeyes, they need to start figuring out how to save their football program—what's left of it—as I foresee some 2012 prospects jumping ship very soon and would be surprised if any reputable coach would be willing to walk into such chaos without being paid very, very, very well.

Furthermore, even if they do find  a fool guy to coach this team beyond the 2011 season, what kid will want to play in Columbus?

Unfortunately, these days, it's all about exposure for the top prospects in the country. They want bowl swag and ESPN glory and if there's any sign that Ohio State will miss out on one, or both, expect those prospects to look elsewhere.

Again, that's the way it is. I simply can't imagine many top flight high school players who will want to sign up for a program that is obviously heading down the highway to hell.

Of course, the NCAA could continue to surprise us all by being completely incompetent in their dealings with Ohio State—let them off with nothing more than a seasonal bowl ban and a loss of scholarships over the next two seasons. Ya know, some BS like that. That, unfortunately, wouldn't surprise me either.

In the meantime, people will continue to speculate on what Pryor will do because, well, he was good enough to start at Ohio State and showed flashes of brilliance here and there. Truthfully, though, he's not ready to be an NFL prospect and if he were anywhere near worthy of a first or second round flyer this past season, he would have come out this year.

Either way, he's in trouble and won't come out of this debacle completely unscathed.

Man, what a year for college football scandals and it's not even July.