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Football
Wells Ready to Carry the Load for the Buckeyes
By John Porentas

It may be Terrelle Pryor's year to garner the hype, but when it comes to somebody who is actually going to make the difference in how the Buckeyes fare this season, the conversation starts and stops with junior tailback Beanie Wells.

OSU tailback Beanie Wells is ready to stiffarm his way to bigger and better things this fall.
Photo by Jim Davidson

Wells' sophomore season, his first as OSU's starter at tailback, started quietly but ended with a flourish. He proved to have the kind of ability that leaves spectators agape and opponents laying in his tracks. After a slow start, Beanie dominated from his tailback position last year. He can wear opponents down with his size, strength, and of course his stiffarm, but yet has the speed to outrun defenses as he did against both Michigan and LSU last fall.

Wells racked up over 1,600 yards rushing last year despite the slow start and two injuries that hindered him as the season wore on. An ankle injury dogged him throughout the last half of the season and a wrist injury that required off-season surgery also hampered him. Through it all, he dominated at times.

Wells himself is his worst critic for that slow start last fall. He says he "wasn't giving it his all," but members of the OSU coaching staff disagree. They say he just wasn't quite ready mentally for the rigors of being the starting tailback at Ohio State yet, and that in turn didn't allow him to play up to his potential.

"There's a difference between giving it his all and understanding what's happening around you," said wide receivers coach Darrell Hazell.

"I think what happened to him from my perspective is the game started slowing down for him. You could see it. Early in the season he didn't see the game the way he wanted to see it, and that slows you down," Hazell said.

This year running backs coach Dick Tressel sees both the old Beanie and a new Beanie as fall camp comes to a close.

"He's a very similar ball carrier and very similar good person but I feel like he is a much more mature and will be a much more patient running back at the beginning of the season," said Tressel.

"The last half of last season he was a very patient running back. When it was his turn and the big play came to him, he made it. He wasn't anxious to try and go make it happen like he was earlier in the season. I expect he will be patient and make the big play when it comes to him."

Tressel said Wells' newfound attitude comes from a variety of sources.

"One, he's done it. His expectations of himself have come to fruition a couple of times. He's made some great plays, so that certainly helps your confidence, but I think he also has much more confidence and familiarity with the whole scene.

"He's more confident in the guys that are blocking for him and where they are going to be when, in the guy handing it off to him and the receivers and the defense is going to get him plenty of turns. They get the ball back for us with pretty good regularity," Tressel said.

Wells' physical problems that dogged him last season are now mended, but more importantly, so is the lack of confidence he may have experienced early in the season last year.

"He's 100 percent physically and beyond 100 percent mentally," said Tressel.

"I'm more comfortable and I trust the guys around me," said Well.

"Trust is a big thing. You have to be comfortable with everybody, with your surroundings and trust the guys you're lined up next to, that they're going to go to war for you."

Wells' is being touted as a bona fide Heisman candidate. Is he the best running back in the nation this fall?

"I don't know if there are guys better, I haven't seen them all, but if there are guys better than that, their team is going to be good," said a smiling Tressel.

Wells gives the Buckeyes the kind of running game that will give opposing defenses nightmares.

"Fortunately I don't have to worry about that. He's on our side," said Tressel.

"If I was them I'd worry about him, because he's really a hard worker and he's tough and he loves to compete. I would be shocked if someone that was going to play the Buckeyes didn't have to say this is a key piece of the puzzle."

Wells will keep defenses honest. If they don't game plan for him, he will run wild over them. If they do, they will make it easier for what should be a very effective OSU passing game. What makes Wells truly remarkable is that he has proven that even when you are ready for him, he is almost impossible to stop as he proved with his performance in the Michigan game last season when he trampled over the Wolverines even when they knew he was coming.

"We have a big strong back that is very fast," said Tressel.

"He proved that last year. He's a closer. If you can get to the fourth quarter ahead and are willing to hand him the football and not have the alumni crow that you're too conservative you've got a chance."

If any alumni complain about handing the ball to Wells in the fourth quarter while in the lead, they should be required to return their alumni association cards. Wells is the difference-maker for the Buckeyes this season.

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