Ohio State's starting quarterback has one more year of eligibility, but that doesn't mean Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel won't give playing time next season to Jeannette High School quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Pryor, the No. 1-ranked player in the country, according to several recruiting services, signed with Ohio State yesterday, choosing the Buckeyes over Michigan. Penn State and Oregon were his other finalists.

Todd Boeckman is the returning starter at quarterback for Ohio State and last season he helped the Buckeyes reach the national championship game.

"The thing you need to do as a coaching staff is get people on the field who can make plays and design things for what people are ready to do," Tressel said in a conference call this afternoon. "Everyone is aware that [Pryor] has the kind of ability that once he understands the system and knows opposing defenses, he's going to have a chance to show his playmaking ability."

Pryor said yesterday he hopes to be used in a similar way that the University of Florida used Tim Tebow when he was a freshman two years ago during the Gators' run to the national championship. Tebow was C.J. Leak's backup, but Tebow was used on a number of plays during the course of games. Many of the plays were quarterback runs.

"I think it's Terrelle's passion to make it impossible for us not to put him in the football game," Tressel said. "That's what is exciting about a guy with his goals. He didn't want you to promise him anything [concerning playing time]. He's very sensitive to his teammates. He wants to earn everything he gets."

Pryor will enroll at Ohio State June 16.

Tressel doesn't feel Ohio State will have to change its offense to fit Pryor.

"The beautiful thing about what we have always tried to be is we've tried to be an offense that has just about every single thing in the playbook that you could possibly have," Tressel said. "Then you have to utilize your people for that."

Tressel said he wasn't 100 percent sure Pryor would sign with the Buckeyes until he heard Pryor say it at a news conference today.

"I always felt good about how he felt about Ohio State. Now I feel even better," Tressel said.