A year ago when Ohio State and USC played out West, Pryor left California as the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback.

Pryor was all the rage in college football last season. He has remarkable size (6-foot-6, 235 pounds) and unreal 40-yard speed (4.33 seconds).

The hype, however, has subsided a tad. Pryor’s development will be judged Saturday night against that of the young fellow across from him.

If Barkley, the first true freshman to start the season at quarterback in USC history, plays like he did last week, they won’t be talking about Pryor like they used to.

The two will play vital roles in their teams’ success or failure Saturday night at Ohio Stadium when No. 3 Southern Cal will take on No. 8 Ohio State.

There are many differences between Pryor and Barkley.

Pryor didn’t come from a nationally known high school that’s already turned out great college and NFL quarterbacks. Barkley did.

Pryor didn’t have a full game under his belt when he played against USC last year. Barkley does.

“Everything is added in to make him who he is,” USC Head Coach Pete Carroll said of Barkley, who follows former Trojans QB Todd Marinovich out of Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei High School.

“Our guy was brought up so well. He had a lot of the aspects it takes to be a big-time quarterback already put together. … If you just started on raw talent, you can’t get it done. It’s too hard. We tried for eight years (to have a freshman start), and it didn’t happen. Matt’s the first guy to pull it off.”

Carroll has had some great quarterbacks at Southern Cal — Carson Palmer, Matt Leinhart, John David Booty, Mark Sanchez.

“This is not a typical kid,” Carroll said. “He jumps out. … He has to have it all, or it wouldn’t have happened.”

Unlike Pryor, Barkley enrolled early and took part in spring practice. Barkley got snaps with the starting offense in training camp.

“Repetitions are huge no matter prescription medicine what you do,” Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel said. “Most especially when you’re trying to grasp a new system, having that spring, having that preseason, and he had a little bit of a bonus when the other fellow got hurt.”

Aaron Corp was on track to be the starter at USC, but he injured his knee cap last month.

Carroll didn’t hesitate, naming Barkley the starter well before the season. Now, the job seems to be his.

“The fact that he started as a freshman in a huge (high school) program and they threw the ball a lot, you can see the effect that had on him,” Carroll said. “He’d thrown so many passes by the time he got to this level. He can throw the curl route, the come-back, the post. … He has a wealth of background.

“It’s not a matter of arm strength. His accuracy is great. … It’s a matter of decision making within the system.”

Pryor had a respectable opener against Navy. He seemed less intent on running and had a pass-first mentality.

That’s something Pryor said he wanted to change as he yearns to be a complete thrower.

“I think he’s right on track,” Carroll said. “He’s just making a statement as a competitor. He’s growing and wants to embrace all the position had to offer and not be a one-dimensional player.”

Carroll didn’t cringe when Barkley embraced the challenge of coming to Ohio Stadium and playing a night game in front of about 106,000 Buckeye fans.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s 105,000 or 500,000,” said Barkley, who vowed not to be nervous.

Carroll said that wasn’t bravado. It wasn’t the media getting the best of Barkley after an opening day blowout of San Jose State.

It was simply the truth.

“There’s no question that’s how he feels,” Carroll said. “He said the only time he was nervous in the Coliseum was walking down the steps. Then, he wasn’t nervous any more. He’ll be fine in this setting as well. That doesn’t mean we’re gonna win and play great, but he’ll be fine. He’s very comfortable with who he is and where he fits in this program.”