Even when Terrelle Pryor calls a news conference to announce that there is no news, he makes news.

Mr. Pryor, the all-everything quarterback at Jeannette High School and No. 1 recruit in the nation who has created intrigue across the country with his pending college decision, decided not to decide yesterday, the first day high school seniors could sign a binding letter of intent with a college.

About 50 reporters, some from national recruiting Web sites, had gathered in the Jeannette High gym to report on Mr. Pryor's choice. Networks ESPNU and College Sports Television were there to televise the announcement. He had said earlier that Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State were his top choices.

Mr. Pryor said he had made up his mind a few days ago, but a Tuesday night meeting with his father, Craig, changed it. He then decided not to decide.

Mr. Pryor has no timetable for making a college choice because Penn State has risen in his eyes, he said. His father also likes Penn State and the son plans to make a visit there in the near future, but not this weekend because he will attend an awards banquet in Atlanta.

"Me and my dad had a battle of differences," Mr. Pryor said. "He had a different mind and I had a different mind. He just made me think. He just wants me to go over it and think twice.

"He likes a couple schools. But not the school I was thinking."

Friends and acquaintances told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Mr. Pryor had decided on Ohio State. Yesterday's news conference with no news added another twist to this one-of-a-kind recruiting saga.

"It's the most bizarre recruiting derby I have ever seen in my more than 20 years in this business," said Allen Wallace, publisher of Super Prep magazine and national recruiting editor for scout.com.

At Michigan, among everyone from coach Rich Rodriguez to Mr. Pryor's cousin, Wolverines player Toney Clemons of Valley, to the campus and widespread fan base, there was a collective wonder: Is their school still in the running?

Michigan entered the Pryor sweepstakes on Dec. 16, when Mr. Rodriguez switched jobs from West Virginia -- which Mr. Pryor had considered and whose spread offense he ran at Jeannette -- to the Wolverines.

The first reporters arrived at Jeannette High yesterday at 7 a.m. A few Jeannette officials were ready to park cars because of the expected media throng.

But news had spread late Tuesday night that Mr. Pryor wasn't going to announce his college choice. Jeannette Principal Stu Albaugh had helped organize the news conference and heard about Mr. Pryor's indecision. He seemed miffed when he stepped out of the school shortly before 7:30 to talk with some school personnel.

"I don't know what's going on," he said. "I'll tell you, if he doesn't do it today, we're not having another one of these [news conferences]."

Jeannette guidance counselor Rick Klimchock arrived at 7:30 and met with Mr. Albaugh outside the school as students were arriving. A production crew from CSTV had started to set up in the gymnasium.

"Crazy, isn't it?" Mr. Klimchock said.

Mr. Pryor arrived at 7:45, dressed in a long white T-shirt, gray sweat pants and a baseball cap turned backwards. He stopped in the gymnasium to do an interview.

When asked why he was still having the news conference when he hadn't made a college choice, Mr. Pryor told the Post-Gazette: "My principal still wants me to do it because everyone drove here. I know there are going to be a lot of questions why.

"People don't realize how many games I played with football and basketball. I've never had time to think. When I do have time to think, [a college choice is] going to be a no-brainer."

News of Mr. Pryor's "no decision" was all over Jeannette, where he is something of a legend, by midmorning. The public was not permitted to attend the news conference, but people were talking about it everywhere.

"I grew up with Terrelle in West Jeannette," said Justin Bowers, a waiter at the Park Classic Diner, a short drive from Jeannette High. "If I was in his position -- 18 years old and the world in your hands -- I'd play with those colleges, too. Why does he have to decide today? He should wait until graduation to decide."

Mr. Pryor said Penn State assistant coaches Tom Bradley and Jay Paterno have dealt more with his parents than other schools' coaches and that his father feels a trust with Penn State's coaches that he doesn't feel with other schools. "My dad loves [Mr. Bradley]," he said with a laugh.

"Penn State has done a lot," he continued. "They showed up a lot more. They recruited me a lot more. They've sent pages upon pages of handwritten letters."

In the fall, Mr. Pryor questioned Penn State's offensive style. Last week, Penn State coach Joe Paterno, Mr. Bradley and Jay Paterno all visited with Mr. Pryor at Jeannette, and with his parents.

"I just didn't know about their offense because I never had a meeting with their coach," Mr. Pryor said. "I didn't know what they were about. I thought it was just a power offense. It's not."

Also, after saying yesterday morning that he would choose between Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State, Mr. Pryor said at the news conference Oregon was still in the picture and he might visit there.

At the event, he sat at a table in front of the media. His mother sat on one side of him. His coach, Ray Reitz, and Steelers backup quarterback Charlie Batch sat on the other. Mr. Batch is advising Mr. Pryor thoughout the recruiting process.

"I want to visit Penn State," Mr. Pryor said. "Whenever I get the feeling [on a favorite college], I'll do it. I haven't got that feeling yet."

Shortly before the conference, Mr. Albaugh had changed his tune about another news conference.

"If we had this many people here when he is announcing nothing, we probably need to have another one when he does announce something," he said.