Lucas: Always ready for his moment, Pryor capitalizing on extra season
November 09, 2021 | Football, Mike Lucas
Sixth-year senior a key to offense’s resurgence as Badgers hit season’s stretch run
BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Sixth-year senior wide receiver Kendric Pryor was completely unaware of the approaching personal milestone. He just hadn't given it any thought, which is why he did a double-take when informed that Saturday's game against Northwestern would mark his 50th in a Wisconsin uniform.
"I was not aware of that," the 23-year-old Pryor pleaded innocently Monday. But with a sigh, he conceded, "Man, that's a lot of games. That's crazy actually. I had a feeling really early in my career that at some point I was going to get up there and it would be a high number."
Wondering aloud who had played in the most games, he posed, "Wasn't it Leon?"
It was. Between 2013 and 2017, fullback/linebacker Leon Jacobs played in 59 games, an FBS record. That was one more than his former UW teammate, safety Joe Ferguson. On the current roster, outside linebacker Noah Burks has played in 51 games and wide receiver Jack Dunn in 50.
"I didn't see either coming," Pryor said of his impending big 5-0 or the fact that the NCAA would offer another season of eligibility due to the pandemic. "But it has been great getting this extra year and learning from Coach Whitt (wide receiver coach Alvis Whitted) and just working on my craft.
"I've been adding tools to my toolbox to try and elevate my game."
If it were not for two physical setbacks that cost him playing time, Pryor would be on the brink of catching and passing Jacobs. In 2017, he was hospitalized after a moped accident during training camp and missed the first four games. In 2020, he also missed four games because of injury.
Pryor doesn't take anything for granted. Games. Or wins. During his 49 career appearances (33 starts), the Badgers are 35-14 (.714). And he has been a major contributor to the success with 89 catches for 1,146 yards (12.9) and six TDs to along with 40 rushes for 409 yards (10.2) and five TDs.
It works out to one score every 11.7 touches. Prodded to single out his favorite games, he listed the 2017 Orange Bowl ("That was a fun one because everyone had a good game"); the 2017 Iowa game ("My first two touchdowns") and the 2019 Michigan State game (he had a career-long 66-yard TD run).
And then, of course, there was 2020 Rose Bowl. Even though the outcome was disappointing, a 28-27 loss to Oregon, it was, after all, the Rose Bowl and it meant a lot to Pryor because "I was always watching it on TV growing up and I finally got a chance to play in one."
Pryor then volunteered another entry for his list, "Last game was pretty fun."
Last Saturday, the Badgers overpowered Rutgers, 52-3. In rolling up 579 yards of total offense, it was their most points scored in a Big Ten road game in eight years (since a 56-32 win at Illinois in 2013) and the widest margin of victory in a league game in 10 years (since a 59-7 rout of Indiana in 2011).
"Everybody got a chance to show the ability we have — the offense I was talking about during the summertime and fall camp is finally coming out," Pryor said. "The defense has been there the whole season. We were not holding up the standard on our end. But we're getting everything back on track."
Besides freshman Braelon Allen rushing for 129 yards (his fifth straight game over 100), quarterback Graham Mertz completed 11 of 16 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns. His pass efficiency rating (244.1) was the second highest by a Big Ten QB in a conference game this season.
Pryor had four catches for a career-high 72 yards and a touchdown against the Scarlet Knights. It was his most productive showing since the Sept. 25 Notre Dame game at Chicago's Soldier Field (25 miles from his home in Hazel Crest, Illinois) where he had a career-high six receptions for 69 yards and a TD.
In what turned out to be a 24-point second quarter explosion, Mertz completed a 25-yard scoring toss to Pryor in the corner of the end zone on a third-and-8 play, making it 31-3. (The Badgers were 6-for-12 on third down conversions after going 1-for-11 in their previous road game Oct. 23 at Purdue).
"We ran that play in practice a couple of times last week and I had a similar contested catch on the sideline over there," said Pryor, pointing to a spot on the McClain Center turf. "It was kind of different but the same type of ball and having made that play in practice, it was just second nature.
"Manifest and speak it into existence. If you don't give Coach confidence — showing Coach (Paul) Chryst he can call it in a game — if you're not making that play in practice, it's not magic. You're not just going to flip a switch and do it. When you get opportunities, you have to be ready to take advantage."
As such, Pryor visualized the catch before getting inside leverage on Rutgers freshman defensive back Max Melton and making the catch. Or as he put it, "I was seeing myself going up and making a play — seeing the ball in my hands — and seeing Graham throwing it and giving me a chance on it."
Pryor equated the play to boxing out for a rebound in basketball, his favorite sport. Mind-you, he was quick to add, "I love football, too, but I started playing basketball before football. I did kind of see it as a rebound as far as boxing him out and just going up and attacking the ball.
"When the ball is in the air, attack it, don't wait for it."
Pryor never wavered in his belief that the offense would turn it around, even while it was under attack during the team's 1-3 start. After the Oct. 2 Michigan loss at Camp Randall Stadium, Pryor suggested, "I just feel like it's the little things that as a whole group we have to work on and figure out."
He emphasized, "In football, it takes all 11 guys to be on the same page."
In almost the same breath, he stressed, "I still feel we have time to fix it."
The Badgers have won five straight games since then. Pryor remained steadfast in his commitment to rebooting the offense despite not always being a big part of it statistically. In the four games leading up to Rutgers, he had four catches. Against Iowa, he was targeted just once and blanked.
"Obviously as a receiver, you want to get the ball, but it's a matter of staying focused," he said. "I don't want to be putting bad stuff on film. I don't want to be out there pouting and running a lazy route and let my guy come off me and make a play on somebody else.
"I don't want that to be the image of who I am. I'm still going to be doing the little things — if it's blocking, I'm trying to get some knockdowns — because I know the guys will do the same for me. That's just the type of group that we are. It might be me one game. Or Danny and Chim in the next."
All three were contributors at Rutgers. Danny Davis had just one catch, but he took it 72 yards for a TD, his first score of the season (and first since the 2020 opener). Chimere Dike matched his career high with three receptions. Moreover, freshman Markus Allen had his first two catches at Wisconsin.
"I feel like as a receiving group we had a great week of practice, everybody was locked in," said Pryor, who had this advice for Allen, "Stay ready. Just keep doing the little things and keep doing what you did to get here, what you did to get yourself on the travel roster.' He's big and athletic."
Pryor has never been shy about touting his own athleticism. In July, he posted videos on his Twitter account documenting and showcasing his speed (4.37 in the 40, clocking in 23 mph) and vertical (a 69-inch box jump). At Homewood-Flossmoor High School, he had some slam dunks that went viral.
"I know what I can do," he said. "And people around me know what I can do."
He's just hoping that the pro scouts take notice. The 5-foot-11, 189-pound Pryor has taken mental notes on the 5-10, 185-pound Antonio Brown and "other (NFL) guys similar to my size" for the purpose of "seeing what they do and how I can incorporate it into my game. I get motivation from them."
But nothing motivates him more than winning.
"Our focus this week is again on all those little things," said Pryor, looking ahead to Saturday's matchup with Northwestern and knowing the series history (the last 30 games have been split, 15-15). "For some reasons, these games are always close. We have to go out there and take care of business."
A year ago, Pryor and Davis (who has 48 career appearances, by the way) watched the game on TV from their apartment. Both were injured and of no help to the Badgers, who lost 17-7 in Evanston. Pryor acknowledged the pain in "not being able to go out there and impact the game."
He could think of no better way to celebrate his 50th than with a 6th. A 6th straight victory.
