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- Thread starter akronbuck
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Ten freshmen ready to take college football by storm
cnnsi.com
8/10/06
cnnsi.com
8/10/06
Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State
High school: Akron (Ohio) Garfield
It didn't take long for Wells to make his presence felt at Ohio State. During the Buckeyes' Scarlet and Gray game, the freshman pounded his chest before taking a handoff, broke a tackle and barreled his way to a 11-yard gain.
"That was to let them know I was coming," Wells told the Columbus Dispatch.
It was a notice that incumbent Antonio Pittman may want to heed as well.
While Pittman, who ran for 1,331 yards last season, is the starter, he'll no doubt get a push from Wells (6-1, 220), who brings a mix of speed, size and balance that will add much-needed depth to the backfield.
"It's been a few years since we've had that depth and luxury at tailback," Ohio State recruiting coordinator John Peterson said. "We're excited to have Wells and [Maurice] Wells right there in the thick of the tailback competition."
The third-ranked player in the Rivals100 and the recruiting service's top-ranked running back, Wells ran for 2,134 yards and 28 touchdowns last season and was named Ohio's Mr. Football. And if this bruiser's high-school exploits weren't enough, the comparisons to other players are sure to get Buckeyes fans salivating. Quarterback Troy Smith has likened him to a young Jerome Bettis, while running backs coach Dick Tressel says Wells reminds him of a Jim Brown.
"Chris is big I-back, [a] downhill runner," Peterson said. "He's the kind of player that has a relentless motor and likes to go north and south and get positive yards."
With Pittman nursing his injury, Wells was given the opportunity to take center stage in the spring game and didn't disappoint, running for 48 yards on 11 carries. He also caught a pass two yards behind the line and bowled over a pair of defenders en route to a 9-yard gain.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=300 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=10></TD><TD class=cnnImgAdPad width="100%">
Ohio St. QB Troy Smith says that freshman Chris Wells (above) reminds him of a young Jerome Bettis.
Matthew Emmons/US PRESSWIRE
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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Buckin Crazy
All-American
Can you guys imagine next year if Pittman enters the draft?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
We will have the ultimate Nail & Hammer. If they lined both Well's(wow that’s going to be confusing the guys up in the booth) the Defense will never know what they will get, the powerful bulldozer with speed. Or the Small Agile back that will juke the shit out of you.<o:p></o:p>
Combine that with the fact that Tressle loves to run the ball late in the game and they will both pile up some yards.
We will have the ultimate Nail & Hammer. If they lined both Well's(wow that’s going to be confusing the guys up in the booth) the Defense will never know what they will get, the powerful bulldozer with speed. Or the Small Agile back that will juke the shit out of you.<o:p></o:p>
Combine that with the fact that Tressle loves to run the ball late in the game and they will both pile up some yards.
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daddyphatsacs
Let the cards fall...
Are you sure about that Mil..........? I recall a Ted Ginn bet last season, but I forgot the details.
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Are you sure about that Mil..........? I recall a Ted Ginn bet last season, but I forgot the details.
Ginn is gone after this season. Pittman is not.
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Some quotes from Beanie on media day.
official.site
Chris Wells, freshman tailback
On his first year as a Buckeye
"There isn't pressure on me because the people around me are being positive. I'm just so excited for the season to start. Compared to spring practice and now, I understand the system a lot better already. I still need to become more comfortable and confident in myself."
On his relationship with Antonio Pittman
"Pittman is like my older brother. Since he's older, I can learn a lot from him about the game and about life."
official.site
Chris Wells, freshman tailback
On his first year as a Buckeye
"There isn't pressure on me because the people around me are being positive. I'm just so excited for the season to start. Compared to spring practice and now, I understand the system a lot better already. I still need to become more comfortable and confident in myself."
On his relationship with Antonio Pittman
"Pittman is like my older brother. Since he's older, I can learn a lot from him about the game and about life."
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ScarletBlood31
Buckeye in Blacksburg
Wow. I've never been more excited for an upcoming freshman before in my life.
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Dispatch
OSU won’t go to Wells
Pittman’s still No. 1, Dick Tressel says, despite hoopla over talented freshman
Friday, August 11, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
<!--PHOTOS--> <table class="phototableright" align="right" border="0"> <!-- begin large ad code --> <tbody><tr><td> <table align="center"> <tbody><tr><td align="center">
</td></tr> <tr><td class="cutline" width="200">Antonio Pittman (25), Chris Wells (28) and Maurice Wells are part of a talented backfield. </td></tr> <tr><td align="center">
</td></tr> <tr><td class="credit" width="200"> DORAL CHENOWETH III DISPATCH </td></tr> <tr><td class="cutline" width="200">Curtis Terry Jr., son of player Curtis Terry, gets an autograph on his OSU outfit from Dionte Johnson as Jr.’s cousin Ruby Cole holds him. </td></tr> </tbody></table> </td></tr> </tbody> </table>
Ohio State running backs coach Dick Tressel yesterday had an answer for those who wondered whether freshman tailback Chris "Beanie" Wells could come in and challenge Antonio Pittman for the starting job:
Nope.
It has been a hot topic since Wells committed to OSU, and it heated up after Pittman sat out spring drills rehabilitating a hamstring injury. Wells enrolled early and wowed everyone with the power and speed he packs in his muscular 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame (it may be more like 235).
Normally, coaches are vague when it comes to the depth chart. It ratchets up the competition. But Tressel spelled it out pretty clearly.
"I think Pittman is outstanding," he said, "and if Beanie Wells can take playing time away from Antonio Pittman, that will be exciting for Buckeye football. It would be surprising, also, in my mind.
"I think Antonio Pittman will get all the time that he needs and our team needs for him to be as good as he can be. After that, (Maurice) Wells and Chris Wells are going to have every opportunity to contribute to the team in a very positive manner."
In other words, it’s great to have all three of these guys pushing each other, but Pittman is our head honcho.
That’s befitting a back who rushed for 1,331 yards last season and probably could have had 1,700 if his carries hadn’t been strangely limited early on.
But in college football, players constantly have to fend off challenges from talented incoming youngsters. Two years ago, Pittman was the freshman fighting to take carries away from veterans Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall.
Now he’s the proud, accomplished veteran. And he knows he can’t rest on his laurels.
"Time flies by you real fast," Pittman said. "I don’t look at it as me being the older guy, I come at it as we’re all freshmen and we all want the spot. (The 1,300 yards) is in the past. It’s a new year, you can’t dwell on what happened last year.
"I’ve got to come out here and be more productive this year."
Pittman is fully healthy now. He said he felt 100 percent by the beginning of the summer workouts in June.
Tressel said Pittman has had a tremendous first three days of camp. Maybe that’s a result of Chris Wells’ presence.
For his part, Beanie has got his lines down pat. He’s the new kid, just happy to be here and learn from Pittman, who he says has "a strong football mentality. He’s real smart about the game."
Both players scoff at talk of them fighting each other for playing time. They knew each other as prep standouts in Akron’s city league, Pittman at Buchtel and Wells at Garfield.
"You hear (talk), but you just brush it off your shoulder," Wells said. "Me and Pitt are like brothers. Back in Akron, I would chill with Pitt. He’s a competitor and I’m a competitor, it’s all a part of the game."
Pittman said, "You hear it every year with the new recruits coming in, but you’ve just got to do you. Maintain."
Sophomore Erik Haw transferred during the summer, feeling crowded out of the tailback picture. Sophomore Maurice Wells is listed as second team but now seems in danger of being squeezed for playing time between Pittman and Beanie Wells.
"I would guess that Mo on occasion has concerns about that," Tressel said. "But the exciting thing is Mo’s response to that was a great summer. He came in here really fit, he’s been able to perform really well."
Pittman averaged 18.3 carries in the first six games last season and 22.2 in the last six. He scored all seven of his touchdowns in the last half of the season.
That seems to bolster his case for getting more, not fewer, carries this season. The youngsters can wait in line.
"I don’t ever want to come out, that’s just my instincts," he said. "The last two or three games of the season, I think I played every down.
"I understand I’m not going to get every rep, I’d be a fool to say that. But I’ll try to get as much as I can get."
OSU won’t go to Wells
Pittman’s still No. 1, Dick Tressel says, despite hoopla over talented freshman
Friday, August 11, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
<!--PHOTOS--> <table class="phototableright" align="right" border="0"> <!-- begin large ad code --> <tbody><tr><td> <table align="center"> <tbody><tr><td align="center">
Ohio State running backs coach Dick Tressel yesterday had an answer for those who wondered whether freshman tailback Chris "Beanie" Wells could come in and challenge Antonio Pittman for the starting job:
Nope.
It has been a hot topic since Wells committed to OSU, and it heated up after Pittman sat out spring drills rehabilitating a hamstring injury. Wells enrolled early and wowed everyone with the power and speed he packs in his muscular 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame (it may be more like 235).
Normally, coaches are vague when it comes to the depth chart. It ratchets up the competition. But Tressel spelled it out pretty clearly.
"I think Pittman is outstanding," he said, "and if Beanie Wells can take playing time away from Antonio Pittman, that will be exciting for Buckeye football. It would be surprising, also, in my mind.
"I think Antonio Pittman will get all the time that he needs and our team needs for him to be as good as he can be. After that, (Maurice) Wells and Chris Wells are going to have every opportunity to contribute to the team in a very positive manner."
In other words, it’s great to have all three of these guys pushing each other, but Pittman is our head honcho.
That’s befitting a back who rushed for 1,331 yards last season and probably could have had 1,700 if his carries hadn’t been strangely limited early on.
But in college football, players constantly have to fend off challenges from talented incoming youngsters. Two years ago, Pittman was the freshman fighting to take carries away from veterans Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall.
Now he’s the proud, accomplished veteran. And he knows he can’t rest on his laurels.
"Time flies by you real fast," Pittman said. "I don’t look at it as me being the older guy, I come at it as we’re all freshmen and we all want the spot. (The 1,300 yards) is in the past. It’s a new year, you can’t dwell on what happened last year.
"I’ve got to come out here and be more productive this year."
Pittman is fully healthy now. He said he felt 100 percent by the beginning of the summer workouts in June.
Tressel said Pittman has had a tremendous first three days of camp. Maybe that’s a result of Chris Wells’ presence.
For his part, Beanie has got his lines down pat. He’s the new kid, just happy to be here and learn from Pittman, who he says has "a strong football mentality. He’s real smart about the game."
Both players scoff at talk of them fighting each other for playing time. They knew each other as prep standouts in Akron’s city league, Pittman at Buchtel and Wells at Garfield.
"You hear (talk), but you just brush it off your shoulder," Wells said. "Me and Pitt are like brothers. Back in Akron, I would chill with Pitt. He’s a competitor and I’m a competitor, it’s all a part of the game."
Pittman said, "You hear it every year with the new recruits coming in, but you’ve just got to do you. Maintain."
Sophomore Erik Haw transferred during the summer, feeling crowded out of the tailback picture. Sophomore Maurice Wells is listed as second team but now seems in danger of being squeezed for playing time between Pittman and Beanie Wells.
"I would guess that Mo on occasion has concerns about that," Tressel said. "But the exciting thing is Mo’s response to that was a great summer. He came in here really fit, he’s been able to perform really well."
Pittman averaged 18.3 carries in the first six games last season and 22.2 in the last six. He scored all seven of his touchdowns in the last half of the season.
That seems to bolster his case for getting more, not fewer, carries this season. The youngsters can wait in line.
"I don’t ever want to come out, that’s just my instincts," he said. "The last two or three games of the season, I think I played every down.
"I understand I’m not going to get every rep, I’d be a fool to say that. But I’ll try to get as much as I can get."
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ntd
Hall of Fame
I have, with Ted Ginn and one other guy, but I'll spare the thread...
Can't wait to see Beanie on the field, I loved watching the couple of HS games I was able to catch on TV, he was a man among boys...the season cannot get here soon enough (though I'll be at a damn wedding during the NIU game :()
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