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Do IT this week: Layering
Ohio State running back shows work ethic needed for success
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Friday, Aug 17, 2007
COLUMBUS: The challenge followed the 41-14 loss to Florida in the Bowl Championship Series title game.
But it wasn't until this summer that Chris ''Beanie'' Wells proved how seriously he took it.
After the stunning setback in Arizona, Ohio State coaches told the freshman tailback from Garfield they were expecting him to carry the offensive load in 2007. Even before he knew Antonio Pittman would leave early for the NFL, Wells vowed to himself he would step it up and be ready.
Longtime friend and OSU teammate Lawrence Wilson of St. Vincent-St. Mary watched Wells improve his work ethic. During summer conditioning, Wells got up at 6 a.m. and worked out twice a day, with the older players in the morning and the younger ones in the afternoon. On days off, he ran with junior defensive end Wilson and junior receiver Brian Robiskie, going out sometimes as late as midnight to hit the Woody Hayes Athletic Center or Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
''He's definitely ready,'' Wilson said of Wells on Thursday. ''I'm really proud of him. Everything he gets he deserves. I definitely think he's going to be a great back.''
After all his training, Wells is a rock-solid 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds. He said a typical day included a workout from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., class and lunch, then back for the second session at 3 p.m. He lifted weights twice, working different muscle groups.
The biggest change Wells has noticed is in his ability to recover.
''Working in the first group I would be dead tired,'' he said. ''When I was coming in with the second group I was refreshed already.''
Then on days off, Wells, Wilson and Robiskie ran sprints or steps.
''Sometimes it's hard keeping up with Robo,'' Wilson said. ''He takes off and we have to catch him.''
Wilson recalled the day that he and Wells wore what Wilson called ''trash bags'' for a session with Robiskie.
''I had on a regular shirt, a trash bag and another shirt over that,'' Wilson said. ''It was like 90; I thought I was going to faint. They kept saying, 'Let's go.'''
Running backs coach Dick Tressel said Wells' intense training showed more than an interest in being physically prepared.
''It's also an indicator of his understanding of team,'' Tressel said. ''You gain respect. He wants guys to know, 'I'm going to do what it takes.'''
Tressel said Wells taking a leadership role had nothing to do with Pittman's departure.
''He would have talked that way whether Pittman left or not because he was moving along the chain of events,'' Tressel said. ''You start to feel comfortable with the situation, what opportunities you have, what you can contribute. I wouldn't tie it to Antonio Pittman, I would tie it to Chris Wells' development.''
With his body right, Wells can't wait for the Sept. 1 opener against Youngstown State. He wants to improve on his 2006 totals of 576 yards and seven touchdowns, including a 52-yarder against Michigan. He wants to show his four lost fumbles are a thing of the past. He also worked on his receiving skills, which offensive coordinator Jim Bollman said would be more a part of this year's scheme.
To get his mind right, Wells spent an hour last week with hall of fame running back Jim Brown. OSU coach Jim Tressel invited the former Browns star to the opening of fall camp, and Wells and Brown ate dinner together.
''It was more a life conversation than football,'' Wells said. ''He's my hero, I guess you could say a type of mentor. I look up to him so much.
''If you see him play, it's easy to say that's the guy you want to model your game after, model everything after. He's a great person and a great athlete.''
Their only previous encounter came during Wells' senior season in high school, when they met at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards banquet.
''I was amazed, 'Is that really him?''' Wells recalled.
Wells knows plenty about Brown. Besides clips on television and the Internet, he had Ohio State coaches put together more video on Brown. And he's watched every one of Brown's movies. (His favorite is Mars Attacks.)
But Wells didn't need a conversation with Brown to push him this season. He said he's driven by ''my passion for the game and my passion to be the best I can be at the Ohio State University.''
Contrary to public opinion, Tressel said last week that he's not handing the ball to Wells on every down in 2007, even with an unproven quarterback.
''(It will be) 55 to 59 percent running,'' Tressel said. ''It won't be all of a sudden we're 80 percent running. But I don't mind handing it to good backs.''
That means Wells' sweat-filled summer might soon be rewarded. noweb
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com.
COLUMBUS: The challenge followed the 41-14 loss to Florida in the Bowl Championship Series title game.
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