Football
Pryor Working to Improve Passing
By John PorentasOSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor thinks his Buckeyes owe some people some payback.
"There's some teams out there that are waiting for us," Pryor said, "and there's teams that we owe some stuff to."
OSU suffered three losses last season, to Penn State, Southern Cal and Texas, and two of those teams are on OSU's schedule this year. The Trojans will come calling to Columbus in the second game of the season and OSU will travel to Happy Valley for their annual game with the Nittany Lions. How well Pryor has progressed in the passing game will go a long way toward decided whether or not OSU will avenge last year's losses. Last season Pryor's throwing mechanics left something to be desired. He sometimes delivered the ball almost sidearm or sort of shot putted it instead of throwing it. OSU offensive quality control assistant Nick Siciliano says the answer to improving Pryor's mechanics has more to do with what he knows then what he does.
"I think when you mentally know where you need to go with the football the mechanics come easier. You're not thinking as much and you're not panicking.
"Once you become more knowledgeable about what's going on the other stuff will come together."
Siciliano has taken a knowledge-first approach simply not to overload Pryor.
"It's hard to do both at one time. Knowledge first, and then move on," Siciliano said.
That's not to say that Pryor's mechanics have been ignored. He was able to tick off exactly what he must do to to improve his mechanics.
"I'm trying to work now on my hip, not twisting my hip when I throw. That's going to come with a lot more reps but I got a lot better at it," he said.
"Footwork as in getting a five-step drop then wherever you're going with the ball you have to make sure of your footwork, make sure everything's smooth.
"As soon as you let the ball go you drive with your throw, drive off your back foot.
"Once you bring the hips with you and drive into it it's a whole different ball game. Once I get that down I think the footwork will be there."
Siciliano says Pryor has been a willing participant in his effort to to improve and that results are beginning to show.
"He's done the extra work, he's watched extra film, he's studied the playbook more, he's watched the tapes, he understands where to go with the football, now it's just making it all happen.
"Before spring ball started I went back and watched the tape of some of his drill work when he first got here and then watch it from today and it's night and day."
"The one thing I think you guys don't understand is he works at it. He doesn't expect to just show up and everything is going to fall into place. He works at it."
Pryor has worked so hard on his passing that he developed a minor sore arm this spring.
I've never thrown this much. My arm is just sore," he said.
"My arm has been a little bit sore, nothing major, just a little bit sore from throwing a lot."
Pryor is hoping that his improvement in the passing game will allow the OSU offense to be more diverse this season and take advantage of all the weapons on the field, not just Pryor's ability to run with the football, and will result in a little of that payback.
"We're going to throw the ball this year. We've got some playmakers that need the ball, that can run the ball 70 yards after the catch. I want to give them the ball. I want to feed them. They're hungry too," he said.
"We've got some players who are going to catch the ball from three or four yards and take it to the house. I'm telling you, Ray Small, Dane (Sanzenbacher), (Taurian) Washington and DeVier (Posey), Lamar (Thomas). I know I missed one because we have some players. You'll be shocked."
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