COLUMBUS — When Terrelle Pryor, the nation’s No. 1 high school quarterback recruit, signed with Ohio State last month there were some Buckeyes fans who assumed he would just come in and take over as the starter.
Don’t count on that.
The Buckeyes already have a starter in fifth-year senior Todd Boeckman.
Nobody’s saying that Pryor, the Jeannette, Pa., prep star, won’t play for the Buckeyes this fall. Some even think he can play a major role.
But those who think the incoming freshman will unseat Boeckman are downright delusional, tight end Rory Nichol said Thursday.
“How many of those people really know what it’s like to run an offense?” he said. “Todd’s our quarterback. I’m not saying Terrelle Pryor’s not going to get on the field, but to think that that kid could come in here and run our offense — you’re out of your mind. No freshman can do that. Not here. Not with the way we run an offense.”
Head coach Jim Tressel has said that Pryor, who doesn’t come to campus until the middle of the summer, will compete for playing time at the position. Tressel doesn’t say no to those who ask if Pryor might even split time with Boeckman at the position.
It’s a popular thing to do these days on great teams. Chris Leak and Tim Tebow shared the job at Florida two years ago, as did Matt Flynn and Ryan Perilloux a year ago at LSU. Coincidentally, those tandems each led teams that beat the Buckeyes in national championship games.
Boeckman is gracious when asked about Pryor. He politely answers questions about Ohio State’s most renowned recruit in years. He says he’s looking forward to spending time with Pryor.
But at the same time, without putting down Pryor, Boeckman recognizes how difficult it is for a rookie to step right in.
“I don’t think it happens too much throughout the country, coming in as a freshman (and starting), just because of the speed of the game and everything you’ve got to worry about,” Boeckman said. “But he’s a great athlete and he can do some great things to help us out. I’d more than welcome him to be with us if he helps us win games.”
Ohio State quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels, who has been sidelined this spring after having a cancerous kidney removed, visited the Woody Hayes Athletic Center for Thursday’s practice. He was asked how difficult it would be for an incoming freshman to take over an offense like Ohio State’s.
“It’s really hard. About the only way that could be done, your offense would have to be so basic and so elementary,” Daniels said.
 

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