Unstoppable vs. Immovable: Terrelle, Meet Taylor

Tonight’s game features a number of stars--USC and Ohio State aren’t exactly lacking for big name talent--but none that shine brighter than OSU’s Quarterback Terrelle Pryor and USC’s Safety Taylor Mays. Both players have cartoonish athleticism, and last year were dominant at times for their respective teams. And yet, both still have eons of untapped potential that, if fulfilled, could bring their teams a long way this season.

But enough faux-analysis. For an excellent look at what’s made Terrelle Pryor such a mythic figure at Ohio State, witness Details Magazine’s extensive profile of him from two summers ago:

“Terrelle, you’ve been the man your whole life,” I say. “How are you going to handle the bench?”

“The bench?” Pryor’s expression changes: First there’s the stunned deer, then the hunter ready to gun Bambi down—the kid has given up one of his two loves so he could shine in the other. “I can’t believe I won’t be playing basketball next year,” he says, biting hard on his pinky nail—a strange, LeBron-like habit he displays in pressure situations. “I was watching the NCAA tourney last month. Guys I used to own in AAU were getting 20, 25 points a game.” He grabs the doughnut bag, swivels his chair, and shoots the bag into a garbage can, quoting the latest LeBron James TV ad: “I won’t be on the bench.”

After four years of Friday-night miracles, games in which Pryor went literally untouched, in which the Jeannette Jayhawks would score at will from anywhere on the field (on 7 of the first 10 plays in one contest), in which the Mercy Rule—no clock stoppage once a 35-point lead is hit—kicked in (14 of 16 his senior year) and Pryor pulled himself out, usually in the third quarter, there is no doubt in Pennsylvania that he will soon be starting every Saturday at OSU. The only debates here are about when he’ll be playing football on Sundays, in the NFL. Some insist he won’t spend a senior year in Columbus, others that he’ll stay to collect a National Championship and a Heisman Trophy (or two) on his way to the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. [...]

The rest of Jeannette got an inkling of Pryor’s transcendence early in a football game against Washington High during Pryor’s sophomore year. “Terrelle goes back to pass,” Reitz recalls. “The protection breaks down. He comes out of the pocket, gets to the six-yard line, a kid comes up, and Terrelle leaps, sails over the kid’s head, and lands five yards deep in the end zone.” While recitations vary as widely as fishing stories, a photo shows Pryor in midair, cleats at eye level with the five-foot-four water boy. And everyone remembers the reaction the same way. “Nothing happens,” says DeNunzio. “Terrelle gets up, hands the ball to the ref like nothing special happened. The whole stadium had stopped. It took the ref 15 seconds to signal the TD.”

As for Taylor Mays, I have no spiffy profile from a national magazine. All I have is the following statistics: 6 feet, 3 inches; 230 Pounds; and fast enough to run a sub-4.3 40-yard dash. Oh, and this picture:

His neck muscles can tear your limbs off. There are a host of compelling storylines for tonight’s game, but none with more potential than the duel between these two natural wonders. Get excited.