Ohio State keeps a close rein on the football players it makes available for midweek media opportunities.

Terrelle Pryor took over as OSU's starting quarterback with Week 4 of the 2008 season. He has typically been available for interviews after every game during that stretch. But at no time last year or in the first five weeks this year had Pryor been made available to the media in the days leading up to a game.

That changed Wednesday night when the sophomore Pryor and quarterbacks coach Nick Siciliano sat down to answer questions from the media who cover the team.

Below we have video of the 13-minute interview session, followed by an article on Pryor's progress. (Special thanks to ScoutingOhio.com for producing this video.)

For somebody perched at the eye of the Ohio State football storm, sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor does not seem to be any worse for the wear.

“Being a Buckeye is fun, man,” Pryor said. “Learning and playing for the Buckeyes, it’s great.”

Pryor, who boasts a 12-2 record as OSU’s starting quarterback since taking over early last year, has seen the good and the bad in his short time on campus. It was a year ago when he led the Buckeyes to a dramatic come-from-behind win at Wisconsin. But it was later in that freshman campaign when his fumble helped spell defeat in a showdown with No. 3-ranked Penn State.

Earlier this season, Pryor’s spotty play was a discussion point after the Buckeyes dropped an 18-15 decision to then-No. 3 USC at Ohio Stadium.

But since that time, he has largely excelled as the Buckeyes have cruised to easy wins over Toledo, Illinois and Indiana.

"I feel like I can hold my own at the quarterback position," Pryor said. "I'm not saying I'm the greatest, I'm not saying I'm bad. But I feel I can hold my own and I feel I can get the receivers the ball and I can take the team down the field. I feel confident in doing that."

On Tuesday, OSU coach Jim Tressel said Pryor’s biggest hurdle is to develop consistency.

Speaking Wednesday night, Pryor was asked what he envisions when he hears the word consistency.

“It's an opinion question and I guess maybe I need to throw (for) 300 (yards) and run (for) 150 or 200 yards,” he said. “I don't know."

A year ago, Pryor only averaged 15 pass attempts in the games he started. He ended up leading the Big Ten in passing efficiency.

After five games this season, Pryor sits sixth in the conference in passing efficiency. His completion percentage is 57.9 percent (67 of 115), down slightly from 60.6 percent from a year ago. With five interceptions already this season, he has eclipsed the number of picks he threw all of last year (four).

Pryor was asked what areas he has been concentrating on as he works to get better.

“Coach has worked me hard from a footwork standpoint,” he said. “We still have a lot of work to do. I’m just happy to be getting better every day. I think each game we’ve made better decisions. Victories are the most important thing.”

In terms of footwork, Pryor talked about how it can impact some of his throws.

“Sometimes my feet get a little too wide,” he said. “I get elongated sometimes. When I step into my throw, it’s a much better ball. It’s a proven fact. It’s just staying focused every single play and keeping my feet tight and driving my legs through.”

Passing is just one part of Pryor’s game. The quarterback is also OSU’s leading rusher with 298 yards and three touchdowns on 55 carries (5.4 average). He was asked about his decision making and when he sees an opportunity to keep the ball.

“Sometimes it’s what you need,” he said. “If it’s third-and-long, you don’t want to take a long shot. You want to take the 6 or 7 yards, whatever you need. You can’t force stuff because that’s when interceptions come. I just feel confident in what I’m doing. I’m confident in whatever the coaches want me to do.

“Coach and I have talked about it. It’s a hard thing to determine when to run. I feel like my pocket presence is OK. Maybe there are more times I need to sit in the pocket a little more. It just depends.”

Pryor has done much of his passing damage with fellow sophomore DeVier Posey (19 catches, two touchdowns) and junior Dane Sanzenbacher (15 catches, four TDs). But he took a step forward in OSU’s 33-14 win over Indiana by completing passes to eight different receivers.

Getting senior Ray Small, freshman Duron Carter and sophomore Lamaar Thomas – among others – involved can only help the offense, Pryor said.

“I feel our timing is pretty good and it’s going to keep showing,” Pryor said. “We have a lot more games to go throw. We’re going to keep on making plays.”

The ninth-ranked Buckeyes will welcome unbeaten Wisconsin in to Ohio Stadium for a critical Big Ten game Saturday (3:30 p.m., ABC). Pryor knows the task will be anything but easy.

“They’re a pretty solid team,” Pryor said. “They’re tough as always. It’s another Big Ten team. We’re looking forward to the opportunity.”

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Nick Siciliano, OSU’s first-year quarterbacks coach, shared his view on how Pryor has improved from a year ago. (Siciliano worked closely with Pryor last year as the acting quarterbacks coach in place of the ailing Joe Daniels.)

“The maturation process has been exceptional,” Siciliano said. “Going from his freshman year to his sophomore year, it’s been incredible from just a growing up standpoint. That’s how it is with a lot of kids. When they get here to Ohio State, their eyes are wide open. It is a bunch of new experiences for them. He’s done a tremendous job from a learning curve and a maturity standpoint.”

OSU offensive coordinator Jim Bollman echoed Tressel’s sentiments when he was asked where Pryor can continue to make strides.

“For lack of a better term – and this is for the offense in general – it would be consistency,” Bollman said. “It’s making great reads and making great decisions. I think you see more and more of that and more and more confidence coming all the time. I do see a lot of consistent aspects in his play.

“When you see him every day in practice, you see how he handles himself and how he’s being a leader on the field and how he’s operating the show. You see a lot of good things.”

So far, Pryor is averaging 11 rushing attempts per game. Bollman was asked if there is a target number the coaches would like to see for Pryor’s carries.

“I’d like him to have to run the ball zero,” Bollman said. “How smart is that, because Terrelle can run. There is a line you have to walk there – how much is too much and how much is not enough?”

The Eye Black Incident

In OSU’s season-opening win over Navy, Pryor was seen wearing inscriptions in his eye black to salute NFL quarterback Michael Vick after his release on federal dog cruelty charges.

Under one eye on the black eye patch, he had white letters spelling out his sister's name. Under the other was the name "Vick."

Pryor said he had no ulterior motives in wearing the tribute to Vick.

"I shouldn't have put it on," Pryor said. "Some people look at that kind of thing, you're the quarterback at Ohio State, you're the quarterback at Florida or any big-time college, they're going to see what's in your eyeblack.

“I was just happy he was out (of prison) and he had been a big role model to me as I was growing up and I had always looked up to Mike Vick. Maybe it was stupid, just to get involved in that, I shouldn't have put myself in that position.

"Nothing against the dogs, I love dogs and all of that. But he's out of jail and I looked up to him. That's why I did it."

Pryor was asked if Tressel had addressed the issue with him.

“He can’t see that high,” Pryor said, eluding to a joke Tressel himself made about the incident. “When I talk to him, I have to bend down a little bit to his level.

“I’m sure if he would have saw it, he would have said, ‘Rip it off.’ It’s a learning experience. I didn’t mean anything by it. I apologize for it.”

On Saturday at Indiana, Pryor wore his brother’s name on his eye black.