The coaches at Jeannette weren't trying to keep Terrelle Pryor a secret.

They simply tried to downplay him, trying not to put too much pressure on a teenager. They believed too much attention isn't good for a freshman or sophomore.

But word is out. Too many people have seen Pryor's athleticism, promise and potential. Too many know Pryor could well be the next two-sport standout in Western Pennsylvania.

Pryor is a 6-foot-6, 215-pound sophomore at Jeannette High School. He is a quarterback and defensive end on the football team. He is a forward on the basketball team.

Everyone from opposing coaches to fans are talking about him. Even Jeannette's coaches know there is no more hiding Pryor.

"I've made a conscious effort to try and downplay him," Jeannette basketball coach Rick Klimchock said with a laugh. "But he does have the potential to be a great two-sport star."

Jeannette football coach Ray Reitz said: "I'm not knocking any other players. I saw [West Allegheny's] Dorin Dickerson play and he's a heckuva player. But Terrelle is as good of an athlete as Dickerson. This kid is as good as anybody."

Pryor has a lofty national reputation. After playing well in AAU basketball for the Pittsburgh J.O.T.S. this summer, he is rated one of the top 15 sophomores in the country by three scouting services. Scout.com ranks him No. 8. Basketball coaches from Pitt, Penn State, North Carolina State, Xavier, Michigan and Rutgers have called Klimchock to let him know they're interested. Reitz said Pitt coach Jamie Dixon was at Jeannette's football game Friday. Pryor averaged 16 points a game as a freshman last season.

"He can probably go big-time in either sport," Klimchock said.

Reitz also has talked to a few Division I football coaches. This is Pryor's first season at quarterback, and he is a work in progress in passing accuracy, completing just 9 of 21 passes for 105 yards so far. But Jeannette runs the wing-T and Pryor's athleticism is quite evident. He can run the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds and has rushed for 257 yards on 31 carries. He also is a force at defensive end.

"With his size and ability, he reminds you a lot of [quarterback] Vince Young from Texas," Reitz said. "I'm not saying he's as good as Young, but this kid has a tremendous upside. He could be like Young in the future, or maybe an outside linebacker who just demolishes people. He can probably do whatever he wants to do."

Return of the "Hydroplane"

Steelers' fans remember him simply by his nickname "Hyrdroplane." But the players on Pine-Richland's football team call him coach. Jack Deloplaine, who played running back for the Steelers from 1976-79, is in his first season as running backs coach at Pine-Richland.

Pine-Richland coach Clair Altemus is a Salem College graduate, just like Deloplaine. Altemus and Deloplaine met last year through another Salem graduate. They got to know each other more, and Altemus eventually asked Deloplaine if he wanted to help coach.

"He's done a great job. The kids love him," Altemus said. "I don't know if the kids know who he is. He had to play during the Rocky Bleier and Franco Harris days and he says his claim to fame is he's on NFL Bloopers for running into the sideline one time and knocking over some cheerleaders."

Grounded Gators

WPIAL football teams are passing more in recent years, but Gateway coach Terry Smith is going the other way -- in the middle of the season. Gateway split its first two games as quarterback Aaron Smith attempted 64 passes in the Gators' spread offense. In Friday's 42-20 victory against Plum, Aaron Smith threw 12 times.

"We just decided to put more emphasis on becoming more balanced," said Terry Smith. "You can't win a championship if you're one-dimensional. ... Aaron will go under center a little more now [instead of the shotgun]. He went under center probably 40 percent of the time [against Plum]. The first two games we basically didn't go under center at all."

Big play Gator

David Williams doesn't get the ball all that often in Gateway's offense. But when he does, it's usually a big event.

Williams, a 5-foot-9, 158-pound senior receiver, has caught seven passes for 304 yards. That's an average of 43.4 yards a catch. But there's more. Five of Williams' receptions have been for touchdowns and he has returned one kickoff for a touchdown. The average length of those scoring plays is 47.8 yards.

Best foot forward

In the most recent WPIAL soccer statistics, Thomas Jefferson's Ryan Browne was tied for the lead in goals with 11. Ambridge's Craig Bunney was third with 10. Both are also the kickers for their school's football teams.

Browne has kicked 16 extra points and Bunney has one field goal. Bunney has almost as many goals in soccer as Ambridge has points in football. The Bridgers have scored only 15 points.