NORTH CAROLINA (BASN) -- It is not easy being a quarterback, just ask Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor.

Just weeks prior to Ohio State's 26-17 Rose Bowl victory over the Oregon Ducks in Pasadena, several Buckeye fans questioned whether the 6-foot-6, 235-pound sophomore could play the position effectively.

 

Many even felt he should quit playing quarterback and move to wide receiver due to his height. However, Pryor proved to his critics and haters as well as the 94,000 fans at the Rose Bowl that he was indeed a true quarterback by passing for a career-high 266 yards.

 

Pryor, who reminds many of former NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham due to his ability to scramble and pass, completed 23 of 37 passes and rushed for 72 yards on 20 carries against to the Ducks' defense.

His performance was outstanding and even compared comparably to Texas Longhorn Vince Young's 2006 Rose Bowl performance against USC for the BCS National Championship.

 

Like Young, Pryor has been criticized as  being a"great rusher and an average passer" due to his unconventional throwing motion. His quarterback coaches at Ohio State can teach him better mechanics in the throwing the football but they can't teach him how to win.

 

And Pryor, is a winner. He has proven that.

After the victory over Oregon, which was the Buckeyes fifth Rose Bowl win in school history and their first Rose Bowl appearance since 1997 when they defeated Arizona State (20-17), Pryor celebrated along side his teammates with pimples on his face while clamping down on a long-stemmed rose placed in between his teeth, a Rose Bowl tradition while holding up one finger in the air.

 

Because a "Rose is Still a Rose".