RB Chris "Beanie" Wells (All B1G, All-American)

[sepia5]

But didn't Tressel say something like Beanie may never talk to me again for holding him out of the USC game? I took from that that it is not Beanie's call, but rather that it was/is Tressel's.

+1

When Tressel made the original announcement he made it clear it was his (Tressel's) decision and implied that Beanie wasn't happy with it. This whole thing is so bizarre.

Here is how this thing seemed to play out:

Beanie gets hurt during YSU and it looks really bad initially. By the end of the game he's walking around w/ a boot. We find out it is a "foot thing." He doesn't play against OU and we look awful. Early in the USC week we hear he'll probably play and rumors leak out that Beanie is fine. He practices and is said to be about 75% and should be able to go. Next day he's sore and all of a sudden "doubtful." He's then "medically cleared to play." Then Tressel says he isn't playing (huh?) and Beanie probably won't talk to him because of his decision to hold him out. Beanie doesn't play and we get rolled. Now we hear rumors suggesting Beanie could have played but chose not to. That from a guy who played with a broken hand and a bum ankle all year last year because JT made it clear he needed him.

 

[Steve19]

I think if you listen to Tressel's interview after the walk-through, he is saying that he made the decision about Wells playing. From what he says, it now seems like the doctors might have said that he was cleared to play but that Tressel did not feel it was in Wells' long-term interest to play him.

I've seen a lot of posts here now questioning Tressel and his judgment. I think that he will keep the entire season in his mind. Win USC, lose Wells for the year, doesn't sound like a winning proposition. I think he just decided to leave Wells get 100% and then take a run at the BCS another way.

Either way, what is done is done and we will see how long it takes Wells to get back. My guess is that we see him for about 10-15 carries this week.

 

[spin360]

I think if you listen to Tressel's interview after the walk-through, he is saying that he made the decision about Wells playing. From what he says, it now seems like the doctors might have said that he was cleared to play but that Tressel did not feel it was in Wells' long-term interest to play him.

I've seen a lot of posts here now questioning Tressel and his judgment. I think that he will keep the entire season in his mind. Win USC, lose Wells for the year, doesn't sound like a winning proposition. I think he just decided to leave Wells get 100% and then take a run at the BCS another way.

Either way, what is done is done and we will see how long it takes Wells to get back. My guess is that we see him for about 10-15 carries this week.

I highly doubt Beanie playing would've changed the outcome of the USC game anyway.

 

[RugbyBuck]

JT has Beanie's interest as a person, not just one of the best backs to wear the S&G, in mind. He asked him to play hurt last year and Beanie sacked up and did it. It's quite another thing to ask him to play injured or if there is a good chance of making an injury, potentially a career-ender, worse.

Besides all of that, we should be able to be competitive against even USC without Beanie. Maybe JT was giving the team a wake-up for the rest of the season after the clusterfcuk against OU.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

i think specualtion belongs in the rumor mill. personally we tread on a slipper slope here. id say their is a "Beanie" thread there, lets use that one for specualtion.

 

[HOLYBUCKEYE10]

Might as well not play Beanie unless he is needed. Put him in pads, but explain to him that he is only playing if desperately needed or if we are in short 3rd down situations or goal line situations.

Get him 100% healthy for the Big Ten run, heck hopefully don't give him too many carries against Minn either unless needed. It's much more impairative we have him for Wisky and PSU.

 

[osugrad21]

But didn't Tressel say something like Beanie may never talk to me again for holding him out of the USC game? I took from that that it is not Beanie's call, but rather that it was/is Tressel's.

Tressel says lots of things that put blame on him.

 

[gemsweater]

Might as well not play Beanie unless he is needed. Put him in pads, but explain to him that he is only playing if desperately needed or if we are in short 3rd down situations or goal line situations.

Get him 100% healthy for the Big Ten run, heck hopefully don't give him too many carries against Minn either unless needed. It's much more impairative we have him for Wisky and PSU.

It doesn't matter if it's a short 3rd down or a goal line situation, when someone is hurt, they are hurt. His injury isn't going to all of a sudden go away because he's needed on the field. The way he got his injury should be evidence enough that even one play could cause serious damage--or re-injure something.

 

[HOLYBUCKEYE10]

It doesn't matter if it's a short 3rd down or a goal line situation, when someone is hurt, they are hurt. His injury isn't going to all of a sudden go away because he's needed on the field. The way he got his injury should be evidence enough that even one play could cause serious damage--or re-injure something.

I was saying that based on how close he is to being 100%. Like if he is 90% or better then use him in those situations. Other then that don't use him unless its do or die.

 

[Steve19]

I highly doubt Beanie playing would've changed the outcome of the USC game anyway.

I disagree. With Beanie in there, you don't go after the QB like they did. I also think we would have scored at least 14 more points early. Perhaps the outcome is unchanged but it would have been a much closer game.

 

[Born Buckeye]

Tressel says lots of things that put blame on him.

That is what a great coach does - takes the heat for his players but gives them all the credit. The Vest is the Best!

As for Beanie - I doubt we see much of him regardless of if he is 90% or 100%. The Heisman is gone and the Big 10 season is much more important than Troy. Boom can handle this week.

 

[buckeyes_rock]

I disagree. With Beanie in there, you don't go after the QB like they did. I also think we would have scored at least 14 more points early. Perhaps the outcome is unchanged but it would have been a much closer game.

Yeah...I still think we'd have lost, but with Beanie, I think we might've made it a game for a little longer. And not to make excuses, but who knows what losing Beanie really did to the team. His leadership might have made a difference. And maybe the O-line would've showed up more confident if they were blocking for Beanie.

The Buckeyes looked pretty bad Saturday and the Trojans looked really good, so regardless, USC was the clear winner. But to have walked out of there a 10-14 point loser would've been a little less embarrasing.

I know...I know...move on right? I'm moving...I'm moving...Go Bucks...beat Troy!

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

But if we lose to USC without Beanie, and take care of business and take care of it easily for the rest of the year, there's no question that we'll be in the discussion. Unless it is clear who deserves to be in.

Sorry, but after the way the team quit in the second half at USC, no way do they belong in the national title game regardless of how well they play the rest of the year. They forfeited any right to play for a title this year right then and there.

Until we start playing the other big dogs closely on the national stage, the NC should be off limits to us (or any other team performing like that). We have to prove we belong, and debacles like this past weekend don't...

 

[OWUBuckeye51]

I disagree. With Beanie in there, you don't go after the QB like they did. I also think we would have scored at least 14 more points early. Perhaps the outcome is unchanged but it would have been a much closer game.

Agree. It doesn't matter much now...but think about how Beanie allows you to control the clock more and the defense can't just pin their ears back to gang-rape Boeckman.

And as previous posters have mentioned, Beanie is one of the few guys USC wanted on our roster and one of the few legit scoring threats (at least against their D).

Beanie makes them respect the running game, crappy OL play nothwithstanding. And that is not a knock on Boom, as I think Boom did everything he could to keep us in that game.

 

[redbenn]

its the same argument about ted ginn not getting hurt in the championship game. sure our d gave up a lot of points, but could the outcome been different? possibly, when you lose a huge gamebreaker the entire team is effected. O can't move the ball as well, so the D is out there more. would it have mattered? we can argue it all day long, and never answer it.