Did Cam Newton Steal Terrelle Pryor's Season?

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Remember that big, breakout Rose Bowl Terrelle Pryor enjoyed, leading his Ohio State Buckeyes to a convincing win over high-flying Oregon last January?

What followed was an off-season bursting with confidence, a spring session during which Pryor cultivated better passing instincts and a preseason that had him among the top two Heisman Trophy contenders on everybody's watch lists. Carried by Pryor, the Buckeyes would easily find themselves playing for the 2010 national championship, most likely against defending champ Alabama.

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A widely circulated story a few years back told of how, after dismantling Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, Troy Smith and Ted Ginn Jr. were overheard telling each other how unstoppable the Buckeyes were going to be in 2006. Many had similar expectations about Ohio State's 2010 fortunes after Pryor's effort in that Rose Bowl last year.

And as we witnessed throughout this season, the dual-threat with junior eligibility, standing 6-foot-6 and wearing a No. 2 jersey, delivered dizzying performances week after week, leading his team to wins in all 13 of its games. Only it wasn't Pryor; it was the kid who was considered an offensive question mark in some circles only a few short months ago.

Cam Newton started out at Florida, transferred to Blinn Junior College, then ended up back in the SEC, competing for the starting job at Auburn. Observers knew he had the physical tools, but greatness is never achieved in preseason magazines. There's always the possibility that a new starting quarterback will fail on the field once August melts into September.

But Newton didn't fail. And he didn't just pass, either. He went out every week and earned an A each time. The more difficult the test, the better was his score.

This was supposed to be the year of Terrelle Pryor. Maybe he'll lead the Buckeyes in 2011 the way Newton led his Tigers this season. Pryor deserved all the hype he got in the preseason. But more importantly, Newton deserves everything that's coming his way this postseason.