Pryor

JEANNETTE, Pa. — Terrelle Pryor's decision — or, actually, nondecision — gives Penn State coach Joe Paterno and Oregon coach Mike Bellotti a second chance. Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez gets a reprieve, if only a temporary one.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who expected a firm Pryor commitment on Wednesday? He is getting a lot more nervous.

Pryor, the Jeannette quarterback who is considered the nation's top unsigned high school football recruit, backed off his apparent choice of Ohio State on signing day and said he needs more time to make up his mind.

Pryor's self-imposed delay means Oregon and home state Penn State are back in the race after the multisport star apparently had narrowed his choices to Ohio State and Michigan. On Tuesday night, Pryor felt comfortable with Ohio State, only to change his mind after waking up Wednesday.

"I had my mind set last night that I was going to go ... but Penn State is hitting me hard and I don't think I gave them a fair chance and I want to take a visit there," Pryor said. "Just check out their campus. Just give him (coach Joe Paterno) a chance, he's a great guy. I just think I should go there (to visit)."

The groans from Columbus could almost be heard a state away in Jeannette, where Pryor's image appears on a billboard at the edge of the town of 10,000 and his every move is watched with great interest.

"He hasn't had time to make an informed, intelligent decision," Jeannette coach Ray Reitz said. "Right now, waiting is the best decision for him in the long run."

Pryor's other career is complicating matters. He is one of the Pennsylvania's best high school basketball players, and Jeannette is about to begin tournament play. With most tournament games on the weekends, it could be difficult for Pryor to quickly schedule his Penn State and Oregon visits.

"We played 16 football games, won the state championship (in mid-December) and two days later we jumped into basketball," Pryor said. "I haven't had that much time to get involved in the recruiting process. I'd like to take more time and be fair to all the coaches that recruited me, who spent a lot of time recruiting me."

Another issue: Pryor's father, Craig, has received numerous visits from Penn State coaches and apparently wants his son to play there.

"Me and my dad had a battle of differences," said Pryor, the only Pennsylvania player to rush for more than 4,000 yards and pass for 4,000 in his career. "They've been hitting my father hard. They been to my dad's house so many times. My dad's in love with them. (Penn State assistant) Tom Bradley probably knows the town more than he does."

Pryor's decision to wait is uncommon, as most top players have long since committed by signing day, but he doesn't have to sign with any school until April 1. Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch, a family friend who was asked by Pryor to give him advice, doesn't think he will need that long.

"This is the decision he has to live with the next four years," Batch said. "I told him, `Don't make the decision under pressure.'"