By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland Plain Dealer) — COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jim Tressel likes to say that the most important stat for a quarterback is wins. By that standard, Terrelle Pryor’s 10-2 record and No. 8 ranking isn’t bad for sophomore.

The only sophomore quarterbacks above Pryor in the BCS rankings are Kellen Moore for undefeated and No. 6 Boise State, and Cincinnati backup Zach Collaros, who played very well while stepping in for injured starter Tony Pike for undefeated No. 5 Cincinnati.

But there have been a lot of young quarterbacks putting up better numbers than Pryor this season. Pryor ranks 65th in the nation in passing efficiency, with 17 sophomores or freshmen ahead of him. Nine of those 17 threw more touchdowns than Pryor’s 16. Eleven of those 17 threw fewer interceptions than Pryor’s 10.

That doesn’t mean that you’d take the young quarterbacks ranked ahead of Pryor. Michigan’s Tate Forcier is one spot in front of Pryor in the efficiency rating. After beating the Buckeyes in Columbus, USC freshman Matt Barkley has thrown just 12 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.

But winning with a young quarterback isn’t unusual. Of the 17 quarterbacks ranked ahead of Pryor, 12 are leading teams with winning records, including Boise State’s Moore, Stanford freshman Andrew Luck, LSU sophomore Jordan Jefferson, Miami sophomore Jacory Harris and Arizona sophomore Nick Foles.

All this is to welcome the end of any discussion of Pryor as a young quarterback. He has basically been a full-time starter for two seasons, going 18-4. By the time he starts his next game on Jan. 1, he’ll also have gone through two bowl practices, a spring practice and a full preseason as a No. 1 starter. By any standard, when the Buckeyes take the field in the Rose Bowl, Terrelle Pryor will be a veteran.

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