• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

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

Whisenhunt had an interesting analysis of how a knee injury is limiting running back Beanie Wells. The injury limits Wells most after he breaks into the second level, or secondary, and has to make a cut or fake. He's not able to plant as firmly with his right leg as he needs to, and he's not avoiding as many tackles as normal. In watching a replay of Sunday's game, that was readily apparent. There were times, I thought, when Wells should have made a hard cut, or a spin, to avoid a tackler. Instead, he took them head on, or allowed them to cut his feet from under him.

Defenders obviously know that, so it's normal to see defensive backs diving at Wells' feet. He's too strong to tackle high, and he's not going to sidestep them when they go low.

Still, Whisenhunt gave Wells lots of credit for playing through the knee injury.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/KentSomers/151057
 
Upvote 0
A toll taken

Beanie Wells has been playing with a painful, swollen right knee since the sixth game, yet he needs only 6 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season.

Throughout the season, Whisenhunt has praised his running back's toughness, because it's clear Wells isn't 100 percent. The condition of Wells' knee is a "week-to-week thing," Whisenhunt said. "It's a different struggle every week for him trying to get his knee ready. He's not as elusive as he would be if was he 100 percent healthy, and we understand that."

That's especially clear when Wells breaks through the line and faces linebackers and defensive backs at the second level, Whisenhunt said.

Even when he's healthy, Wells isn't a shifty back. He's physical and he'll run defensive backs over before trying to dodge them. But every back needs to be able to cut hard to evade defenders, and Wells is having a hard time doing it.

Wells touched the ball 16 times against the Browns on Sunday. On four occasions, he made it to the second level of the defense but couldn't make the first tackler miss. Most of the time, the Browns tackled Wells by diving at his feet.

If healthy, Wells might have broken one or two of those plays for bigger gains.

"They've either came to cut him or he's gotten hit from the side where he can't plant and cut back under, or he can't pick his feet up and get through that tackle," Whisenhunt said. "But let's not forget that Beanie's had a good year for us. We're really focused on trying to get him the 1,000 yards and have him fight through this thing."

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/car...n-whisenhunt-finish-growth.html#ixzz1hAtTUiZE
 
Upvote 0
Rusher Wells Cards' top guy
Ohio State product six yards from 1,000 in his third season
Dec. 22, 2011
Written by
Kevin Goheen
Enquirer contributo

bilde


Beanie Wells grew up in Akron, in the heart of Cleveland Browns territory, but there was no doubt about his favorite running back.

?Corey Dillon,? said Wells, the former Ohio State star now in his third season with Arizona and on the verge of his first 1,000-yard campaign as the Cardinals come to Dillon?s former home for Saturday?s game against the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium.

The game has playoff implications for both teams as the Bengals (8-6) attempt to claim the sixth and final playoff spot in the AFC and Arizona (7-7) clings to hopes of catching either Atlanta or Detroit (both 9-5) for one of the two NFC wild-card spots.

Wells was Arizona?s first-round draft choice in 2009, taken 31st overall, but shared time the last couple of seasons with Tim Hightower. Hightower was traded to Washington July 31 in exchange for defensive end Vonnie Holliday and an undisclosed draft choice next year.

That left the door open for Wells, and he has taken advantage. He has 231 carries and needs six yards to reach 1,000 for the season and is tied for fifth in the NFL with 10 rushing touchdowns. He had 397 yards and two touchdowns last season on 116 carries.

?I think the responsibility of being the guy is what has made the big difference for him,? said Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt. ?Last year when he was splitting the position with Tim Hightower, I don?t think he ever really felt like he was the guy, and when we traded Tim he knew at that point that he had to step up.

cont...

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/...top-guy?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VoITHB2Ev0"]Beanie Wells On Cardinals' Season - YouTube[/ame]
 
Upvote 0
Arizona Cardinals' Beanie Wells on verge of milestone
by Bob McManaman - Dec. 23, 2011 12:41 PM
The Arizona Republic | azcentral.com

Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells can become the ninth different Cardinals player to rush for 1,000 yards if he picks up just six more yards against the Bengals.

But he also has a shot at tying or setting another franchise record. With 10 rushing touchdowns and two games left to play, he is within reach of John David Crow's 1962 single-season record of 14.

"That would be nice. I didn't even know that," Wells said, adding with a smile, "Hopefully I can get all of that this week."

Wells, who was born in Akron, will be playing his first game as a pro in his home state of Ohio and he said he's had to purchase dozens of tickets to Saturday's game for friends and family.

"I'm really looking forward to this game," he said.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt, meanwhile, couldn't be happier about Wells' production this year given that his player has dealt with a nagging right injury for much of the season.

The 1,000-yard milestone, he added, is also a credit to the Cardinals' offensive line.

"They've been criticized quite a bit but when you have a 1,000-yard rusher, especially when you go through a stretch like we did and we weren't winning a lot of games and guys hung in there, that says a lot about your offensive squad," Whisenhunt said.

The Cardinals had three running backs listed on the injury report all week, but Whisenhunt said that was nothing unusual for this time of the year.

Wells and LaRod Stephens-Howling (hamstring) are listed as questionable and Alfonso Smith (back) is probable, but all three are expected to play Saturday.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/car...anie-wells-verge-milestone.html#ixzz1hSZbpFQj
 
Upvote 0
Cardinals? Beanie Wells perseveres through 2011
by Kent Somers on Dec. 29, 2011, under Arizona Republic News

Beanie Wells appreciates the good things that came in this football season. The Cardinals running back has missed only one game and rushed for 1,000 yards for the first time in his three-year career.

But Wells will look back at the 2011 season with frustration, too. An injury to his right knee suffered against the Steelers in Week 6 diminished his strength and explosiveness.

Wells persevered, helping to dispel the notion that he?s soft, but he can?t help but think about what could have been.

?I missed a few runs and had I been a little bit healthier, I would have been out there full time,? Wells said. ?But one day, I tell you one day, I?m going to be healthy and I?m going to unleash hell on this league.?

Since the team moved to Arizona in 1988, the Cardinals? running game has rarely unleashed anything other than frustration. In 24 seasons, the Cardinals have had just six 1,000-yard rushers.

So Wells reaching that mark produced a sense of accomplishment but no celebration. The Cardinals have averaged 99.6 rushing yards per game, the most in coach Ken Whisenhunt?s five seasons, but that ranks 25th in a 32-team league.

Asked whether the running game had made progress or produced frustration, Whisenhunt quipped: ?Would it be fair to say you could have both??

Whisenhunt credited Wells for playing through injury and said gaining 1,000 yards is a significant accomplishment for a running back and his blockers.

But ?

?It?s frustrating because we haven?t been 100 percent healthy there, and there have been opportunities to be more consistent,? he said. ?We haven?t been able to act on those.?

cont...

http://tucsoncitizen.com/arizona-news/2011/12/29/cardinals-beanie-wells-perseveres-through-2011/
 
Upvote 0
Cardinals sit Beanie Wells vs. Seahawks
Running back: 'I was pissed' after learning of move Sunday; Wells nursing right-knee injury
by Bob McManaman, and Kent Somers - Jan. 1, 2012
The Arizona Republic

Cardinals running back Beanie Wells didn't know he was being held out of their game against the Seattle Seahawks game until Sunday, and he was not happy.

"I was pissed," Wells said.

Wells has played with a right-knee injury since Week 6. Coach Ken Whisenhunt made the decision to sit Wells based on how he practiced this week and "where we were in the season."

"Beanie was mad at me because Beanie wanted to play. He's been a warrior all year, playing on one leg, and I just thought, at this point, it was in his best interest not to play. You're torn, because you always have the opportunity for a big play with Beanie in there."

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/car...ardinals-beanie-wells-sits.html#ixzz1iJ998tDc
 
Upvote 0
Both RB Beanie Wells (pictured below) and Whisenhunt said they didn?t know yet if Wells would need surgery on his bad knee. It would seem he?d need something done, but maybe they can find a way to get it better with just rehab. Whiz reiterated that Beanie sitting Sunday was strictly Whisenhunt?s decision. Said Beanie, ?It was like he was my dad and he told me I couldn?t go out to the party.?

beanieenduse.jpg

http://blog.azcardinals.com/2012/01/02/news-and-notes-to-wrap-up-the-season/
 
Upvote 0
Whisenhunt: Wells sat Sunday in preparation for future
By Lisa Naujokaitis/Arizona Sports
Published: January 05, 2012

Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells was able to battle through a right-knee injury and gain 1,047 yards this season, but Coach Ken Whisenhunt decided to sit him out the last game of the season on Sunday.

However, the coach said Wells got a lot out of his 2011 season.

"It's a good tribute to Beanie; it was something he needed to do for himself and also for a lot of people who questioned his toughness," Whisenhunt said. "And I want to make sure that [Sunday] people understand that was no reflection on Beanie. That was purely my decision. He wanted to play."

Wells was inactive against the Seattle Seahawks (7-9) after close surveillance during practice, with Whisenhunt deciding the best option was to take care of the knee.

"I know it was tough for him not to play for what he did through this year," Whisenhunt said.

Wells had his best season as a pro despite only playing in 14 games.

Whisenhunt said the doctors will discuss with Wells the best method to heal his leg, whether it be with surgery or rehab, but the coaching staff will make sure he is in full health to play next season.

"I know the next time that we get Beanie on the football field, he'll be a heck of a lot more healthy than he was [Sunday] and even the last five or six games," Whisenhunt said.

http://arizonasports.com/40/1483682/Whisenhunt-Wells-sat-Sunday-in-preparation-for-future
 
Upvote 0
Beanie has surgery, and a coach candidate UPDATE
Posted by Darren Urban on January 24, 2012

While Beanie Wells said the day after the season he wasn?t sure he would need surgery to repair his gimpy knee, it seemed more likely than not, and this morning, the running back tweeted out what looked like a surgical announcement: ?Time to go under the knife wish me luck !!! These Meds are gonna be lovely lol.?

Beanie doesn?t say the procedure is for the knee, but it would seem to be a logical conclusion. UPDATE: Wells indeed had arthroscopic surgery on his knee today. It was done by Dr. James Andrews in Florida. There?s no timetable for Wells? return, but I don?t think there?s going to be any problem for Beanie to be ready for off-season work.

Neither coach Ken Whisenhunt or Wells ever did clarify exactly what was wrong with Wells? right knee, but it was enough of a problem to limit him in practice ever since first getting hurt against Pittsburgh Oct. 23 and forcing Wells to play at less than 100 percent the rest of the season. Whisenhunt did acknowledge at first the fear had been torn ligaments before the team realized Wells would still be able to play. So it figures to be something less serious.

http://blog.azcardinals.com/2012/01/24/beanie-has-surgery-and-a-coach-candidate/
 
Upvote 0
Beanie begins rehab

Arizona Cardinals update:

Running back Beanie Wells is back in the Valley after undergoing athroscopic surgery earlier this week on his right knee.

Wells described the surgery "as just a scope" and a simple clean-up. He said the surgery, performed by Dr. James Andrews in Gulf Breeze, Fla., went as expected.

Wells was at the Cardinals facility on Friday for a rehabilitation session. I managed to get him for only a minute because he was having trouble talking on his cell while trying to get through a security gate on crutches.

If Wells progresses normally, it seems he will be able to take part in off-season work.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/KentSomers/153796
 
Upvote 0
Back
Top