Terrelle Pryor knew he had to change something if he was going to have a career in the NFL. Being a quarterback wasn't cutting it as he had hoped, so this offseason he made the switch to wide receiver.
The change in position came with a change of address when Pryor joined the Browns. While his teammates and coaches have been supportive and open to his contribution, two members of his new team expect a hard road ahead.
"It's a tall task," Browns pass catcher Brian Hartline told the Plain Dealer. "I've been doing it for 10 to 20 years.
"He'll probably be successful," he added.
"It's going to be very challenging for him," safety Donte Whitner said. "We're not going to make it easy on him."
Hartline was Pryor's target when both starred at Ohio State in recent years, and Whitner, a Cleveland native, was also a Buckeye before being drafted in 2006.
Pryor has been serious about his transition, partaking in receiving camps all this summer near Pittsburgh with former NFL receiver Randy Moss and current Steelers Pro Bowler Antonio Brown. He also took reps with presumed starting quarterback Josh McCown to get their timing straight ahead of camp.
"I believe I can do this," Pryor told the Plain Dealer. "When I work out and when I train to do something, I don't do it just to be OK. I believe in my heart with my God-given ability that I'm going to be the best. That's not being arrogant or cocky. No one outworks me, so I believe in my heart if I put my mind to anything, I can accomplish it."
The Browns could use an accomplishment of any kind in the wide receiver department. Cleveland posted the second-worst overall corps in football last season, snagging an NFL-worst 12 touchdowns.
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GRAPEVINE, Tex. - Sunday found the College Football Playoff Committee's announcement of the nation's four best college football teams to feature in the first-ever collegiate playoff.
1. Alabama (12-1)
2. Oregon (12-1)
3. Florida St. (13-0)
4. Ohio St. (12-1)
Ohio State entered the week ranked fifth nationally, though were promoted into the semifinal picture following their conference championship performance. Texas Christian and Baylor were excluded, it is believed, as the Big 12 lacks such a game. TCU falls to No. 6 after holding the fourth position a week earlier.
"It was really about Ohio State's movement up," Committee chairman Jeff Long told ESPN. "It was their performance on the field that made a difference to the committee."
Baylor, No. 5 in the final committee poll, finished ahead of TCU as the Bears defeated the Horned Frogs in a 61-58 comeback shootout Oct. 11th.
Alabama and Ohio State will feature in the 2015 Sugar Bowl semifinal, and Oregon will face Florida State in the 2015 Rose Bowl.
The winner of each contest will meet in Arlington, Texas, for the national championship.
NEW ORLEANS, La. - 2015 Sugar Bowl
Nick Saban's Alabama side defeated Missouri 42-13 Saturday for the Southeastern Conference crown in Atlanta. Derrick Henry and T.J. Yeldon both rushed for two touchdowns as the Tide pulled away on a three-touchdown fourth quarter. It was their 8th-straight victory since falling 23-17 to Mississippi Oct. 4th.
Hours later, Urban Meyer's Ohio State Buckeyes leaned on their third-string quarterback to rout the Wisconsin Badgers 59-0 to decide the Big Ten champion in Indianapolis. Cardale Jones threw for three touchdowns and Ezekiel Elliott for two more. Buckeyes end Joey Bosa recovered a Melvin Gordon fumble for a touchdown.
PASADENA, Ca. - 2015 Rose Bowl
Oregon secured the Pac-12 championship following a 51-13 decision over the Arizona Wildcats Friday night. Quarterback Marcus Mariota, the leading Heisman Trophy candidate, threw for 303 yards and was responsible for five touchdowns.
"If this guy isn't what the Heisman Trophy is all about, then I'm in the wrong business," Ducks coach Mark Helfrich said after that game.
Florida State snuck past a game Georgia Tech eleven to claim the ACC title in Charlotte Saturday night. Tech came within two after they flew 97 yards in a minute for a touchdown with 1:47 left. But their onside kick was recovered for the Noles, securing their 29th-straight victory. Jameis Winston completed 21-of-30 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Michigan head football coach Brady Hoke has been released from his duties Tuesday, concluding his four seasons with the program.
Hoke went 31-20 overall and 18-14 in Big Ten play during his time with Michigan and finished with a 1-2 Bowl record.
Michigan finished the season with a 42-28 defeat at Ohio State and a record of 5-7. The team went 11-2 during the coach's first campaign, winning the 2012 Sugar Bowl, but since then suffered a worse record in each following year.
2012 found the team 8-5, and a 7-6 record followed in 2013. Michigan lost bowl games in both those seasons, and are ineligible for bowl play this year.
The Dayton, Ohio, native went 1-3 against arch-rival Ohio State.
Columbus, Ohio - Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa was named the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year Monday.
He finished the regular season with 46 tackles and 20 tackles-for-loss, recording a tackle-for-loss in 16-of-17 career games, including a program record of 14 straight games, which he shares with Ryan Shazier and Andy Katzenmoyer.
Bosa ranks 5th-nationally and 1st in the Big Ten in recorded sacks (13.5).
He secured at least two sacks in four contests this year for Ohio State (11-0, 8-0), including 2.5 in the team's Oct. 25th double-overtime victory against Penn State. The second, of quarterback Christian Hackenberg secured the victory for the Buckeyes in extra time.
The Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year Award is named for Michigan State's Bubba Smith and Penn State's Courtney Brown.
The change in position came with a change of address when Pryor joined the Browns. While his teammates and coaches have been supportive and open to his contribution, two members of his new team expect a hard road ahead.