RB Maurice Wells (Official Thread)

[Padraig]

No, he's not a 30 carry, run between the tackles and push the pile an extra 2-3 yards running back. He doesn't have the football "sexy" to him like Beanie or Saine. But I feel a heck of a lot better about our RB position having him "in the mix" than not.

If he had transfered and we were left with a hobbled Beanie and two true Freshmen (one who has already had a minor surgery of his own) as our only scholarship RBs, then I don't feel nearly as good about this team's chances at a Big Ten Title and perhaps more.

I already know what Mo Wells is not, but I'll gladly take him on our team for what he is and brings to the table for another Championship run.

:osu:

 

[GoGators21]

Funny how that two stutter- step helped him break the single season and single game rushing record in florida. Didn't seem to be a problem there, must be something else. Perhaps the play calling is the problem for him. Still can't figure out why "the Ohio State University" was recruiting him so bad when they were not going to use him to display his talents. They should have known what type of running back he was. Out of all the schools that were recruiting him, this had to be the worse choice for him. I wish him more success in his future. Ohio State was a bad choice.

 

[jwinslow]

GG, Maurice was offered by a now excused recruiter (leftover from Cooper regime) without the approval of JT. I'm not sure whether he would have been offered, but the unapproved offer did not go over well (in principle as much as anything). OSU also wanted MSU's Javon Ringer in that class, but grades prevented that.

I agree this is not the right offense for his abilities. OSU is doing a better job utilizing his strengths this year, but it's also hard to not telegraph your playcalling if the packages are always suited to Mo when he is in.

I've acctually noticed a couple times this year where the defender has gone through Maurice Wells to get to Boeckman. Can't agree at all why he should be in there over Saine.

Mo is by far our best blocking back (without seeing Boom). Brandon & Chris are not very good at protecting the qb.

I've seen Mo routinely stonewall much bigger defenders, including unblocked DE's (see Boeckman's TD pass to Ginn last year).

 

[buckin_sa]

Funny how that two stutter- step helped him break the single season and single game rushing record in florida. Didn't seem to be a problem there, must be something else.

Maybe, just maybe he's not as good as everyone thought?!?!?! There are hundreds of kids every year who are blowing it up on the high school level but just can't get it done in college where the talent and TACKLING is better.

Funny how you're so quick to blame OSU for his problems when they've given him every chance to succeed. We have the best offensive line in the big 10 and he's gotten more than his fair share of carries. If anything it's NOT osu. RB, Receiver, Kickoff returns. He's been below average at all positions gogator. Maybe you need to watch more of our games before you pass judgement.

I still want Mo Wells to deliver this year but those occasional 8 yard runs aren't good enough to justify the 4 stops for no gain.

 

[Taosman]

I don't want to see him picked on because he's a team guy and always gives 100%!
If he has any flaw it is not getting his pads down lower.
He continues to improve and is solid blocking and has very good hands.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

I've seen Mo routinely stonewall much bigger defenders, including unblocked DE's (see Boeckman's TD pass to Ginn last year).

Not important, but that was in 2005, not 2006. The season opener against Miami (OH).

 

[jwinslow]

Good call... I was floored when I saw true frosh Mo stop that guy cold. That was a heck of a block... he had to be giving up 60+ pounds to a DE with a head of steam.

 

[matcar]

In 2004 this was posted in relation to a question about whether a coach made an unapproved offer:

It is somewhat true.

Generally, the area coach has the right to "nominate" a kid for consideration by staff. Tressel has enough faith in Conley that he "allowed" him to make a offer before Tressel could meet with Wells in person. They had talked on the phone and Tressel had seen tape of him, but could not recall it at the time Conley wanted to offer.

If there is one thing we should have all learned, is that offers this early, really do not mean a whole lot, from both sides. Kids really start changing when their front yard and street look like a airport taxi runway, full of coaches wanting to get their chance to talk to the kid. Having spent time with Wells, I think this will happen with him.

The good news is that he already is a Buckeye fan, has a bunch of OSU gear and has some family connections in town. Bill Conley has developed a good relationship with him early and got Tressel involved early.

We are working hard to insure he comes to OSU camp.

In 2007:

GG, Maurice was offered by a now excused recruiter (leftover from Cooper regime) without the approval of JT. I'm not sure whether he would have been offered, but the unapproved offer did not go over well (in principle as much as anything). OSU also wanted MSU's Javon Ringer in that class, but grades prevented that.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Good call... I was floored when I saw true frosh Mo stop that guy cold. That was a heck of a block... he had to be giving up 60+ pounds to a DE with a head of steam.

Agreed. Must have made an impression here if I can still remember it. :p

 

[jwinslow]

Nice detective work matcar. Can't seem to find the mo wells block on youtube.

 

[Dryden]

Noticed it hadn't been posted here, though it was in Doug Worthington's thread. For those that didn't catch it there, Mo Wells gave up a week of his Spring Break at home in Florida to accompany Worthington to snowy Buffalo while Worthington visited his dying grandmother. If you didn't read this article then (Aug 22), you should read it now.

The Columbus Dispatch : Remembering a special bond

Mo Wells is an outstanding person, and I think that is lost in this thread. He's a team first guy, he's not rocking the boat behind the Ohio kids that maybe fit the mold of "Big 10 every down back" better, he's not bitching about PT, walking out of practices, or going out at night - making next mornings' headlines for the wrong reasons.

Call it Justin Zwick-syndrome.

I'm sure nobody wants Maurice Wells to have more on-field success than Maurice Wells, so it isn't like he isn't trying, or that the staff isn't trying either.

Not speaking to anyone specifically or responding to any particular recent posts ... just saying that I think all of us are sometimes a bit too harsh in our assessment of his talents, and he should never be slighted as a person just because he hasn't rushed for 1500 yards and 20 TDs.

There is nobody on this team I'm rooting for as much as Mo Wells to find his role and succeed. He deserves it. He has earned it.

 

[holybuckeye33]

Dryden, that's the second post today that I've wanted to rep you for, but I have to spread some around first. Agreed with everything you said. Mo Wells is one of my favorite Buckeyes on this years team and even though his career has not been what I'm sure he envisioned, he has represented himself and the University very well.

 

[MaxBuck]

Mo is one of those players who engenders strong opinions in one direction or the other. Similar in that way to past players such as Steve Bellisari (much more negative than positive), Ken-Yon Rambo (ditto), and Robert Smith (more positive than negative IMO).

There are a lot of things I really like about Mo, and I'm glad he's a Buckeye; by all accounts he is a fine young man who is a credit to Buckeye Nation. But it seems self-evident that, with a 3.5 ypc average, something is amiss, whether due to Mo's inherent limitations, the way we use him, or in combination.

I suspect, ypc aside, that Todd Boeckman is very comforted when Mo is kept in for pass pro; he is terrfic in that aspect of the game. He looked pretty good in space when he got the screen pass for TD, as well. So the kid definitely has skeeyils.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Go back and look at the majority of Mo's carries and then count how many times he has been met in the backfield by one or more defenders...it's way more often than not. It just pisses me off that our OL blocking and/or play calling with him in there is a joke. The few times he does get decent or even good blocking he gains good yardage. His power has noticablly improved also...more broken tackles and he's falling forward more after contact. I just re-watched the Kent State game and there were several carries that as soon as he got the handoff there were several tacklers in the backfield waiting for him...how is he supposed to run like that?

 

[jwinslow]

Agreed completely Mili. When the OL fails the rb like that, I see minimal difference between the Wells twins... neither are great at making guys miss before they get up to speed.

I too root for Mo, and am very impressed with his improvements this year. I still think he might fit a different offense better, but I'm very glad he chose OSU, as a player and person (great story dry). He has worked hard to adapt his game to our style, and it is beginning to pay dividends.