How many more stiffy's will be Beanie dish out before the NFL comes calling? Beanie Wells announced yesterday he hasn't yet decided if he'll turn pro after the Fiesta Bowl.
You buy it? Me neither.
And that's not criticism - he should turn pro. Elite athletes such as Wells come to schools like Ohio State for ultimately the same reason as Joe Student, to prepare for their future by putting themselves in position to start a career.
In that sense, there's no way possible Wells can improve his stock enough by staying another year to make it worthwhile so leaving is really the best option.
Let's face it, NFL running backs don't have a long shelf life as it is and Beanie's already racked up a long injury history causing some, including former Buckeyes like Spielman and Herbie to question his toughness. Even with injuries costing him three full games and portions of others, Wells still managed to run for 1,091 yards at a 5.7 yards per carry clip.
I know some would argue he could get his degree, enjoy the college experience, make a run at the Heisman if healthy and still possibly improve his draft stock leading to a larger stack of cash but it just doesn't make sense for Beanie to go the Jenkins, Robo or Laurinaitis route.
Though those three probably won't see their stock sway dramatically either way (maybe Robo) making the risk seems less, I think even the staunchest Beanie supporter would say Wells has a lot more at stake if he comes back.
Of course, I hope he stays just like the rest of you. It would be fan-freaking-tastic for him to say he wants to play another year with Pryor and Tressel in hopes of making a run at the title even if he's caused me more heartburn than any other hyper-stud ever to grace Ohio Stadium.
No matter what he decides, I just hope Beanie approaches Monday night as if it's definitely his last wearing the Scarlet and Gray. It's likely nothing less than his best performance of the season will be needed to upset the Longhorns and he let it be known what he wanted his legacy to be when he first arrived on campus and reaffirmed it yesterday:
"I personally feel like I haven't done enough at Ohio State, the things I wanted to accomplish here, to move on to the next level. I don't want to say I'm leaning toward staying or I'm leaning toward going. All I'm saying is I do want to be the best Buckeye to ever come through here. I definitely feel like I haven't accomplished that yet."His ultimate goal isn't realistic no matter what he decides but as a great player capable of great things in big games, he would certainly boost himself up the Legendary Buckeye ladder with a game changing performance in final night as a Buckeye.
What do you think? Assuming he's at least "Beanie-healthy" by the date he must declare what do you think the chances are he will return?
Comments
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see ya Beanie. Its been a lot of fun watching you run.
It would be silly for him not to go. I admire his passion and desire to be the best, but he's gotta do what's best for him.
And I'm gonna throw this out there. As much as I'd like to see a Beanie+Pryor backfield again next year, it could jeopardize the commitment of incoming RB Jamaal Berry. He would've been 2nd string behind Boom or even competing for the starting position, but I don't know if one of the top RB recruits in the nation would be willing to wait behind 2 other guys.
Also, with Beanie going pro, maybe the coaches would be forced to diversify the offense (pipe dreams). It has become crystal clear this past year that this team relies waaaay too much on Beanie.
He should go and no one would blame him... 11 kids, inner-city-- he can help his family. I also think the team would be forced to make a huge transformation without him (a good thing).
Oh, and how about those smack-talking Cincy Fans now?? Ohio's BCS team?? give me a break--4 picks and 7 points.... put that on a T-shirt!
I hate to see him go. I feel like, even though there were some awesome moments, that we never got the full effect of how awesome Beanie is or can be. I know he had 1600 yards last year and he did single handedly win games for the team, but I just feel like he has better football in front of him. I hope that he stays healthy for the NFL and I think he could be a great. I'd love to seem him go out with a bang.
Even though they talked smack, I was not happy to see UC lose. I live on the KY side of Cincinnati and what Dantonio first, then Brian Kelly have done for that program is great. I wish we could drop the other in state schools and play them more often.
There is 0% chance of Beanie staying. He was thinking backward with that statement, not forward. Backward has 0 $ signs. Forward has millions of them.
The good news is that he is no longer wearing those linemen cleats. He will be a step faster than he's been all year for the bowl game.
Agree. It's time for Wells to take the next step and make some money.
There are three great backs joining the team in 2009 plus the 2 already on the roster.
I for one hope that Beanie is not the focus of the offensive game plan next week.... If he is, the line is going to be stacked to stop him. OSU has so many weapons they can use and if they can get Texas to stop any of the others (Pryor, Boom, Robo, Small) then I think Beanie can have a huge day. Throw early, some quarterback draws, some screens and quick outs.... once the defense sets to stop those, then give it to Beanie.
I think he's gone.
However, the ability to go for the Heisman, the ability to play USC (hopefully healthy), and the ability to become OSU's leading all-time rusher are all very large motivational factors for him to stay.
Those would/should be motivational factors for him to stay but he knows as well as anyone not drunk on Beanie-Loving-Kool-Aid that there's absolutely zero reason to think he can stay healthy for a full season. And if he did manage to stay healthy another season season of 200-250 carries on the odometer could end up being a negative putting him in a no-win situation. He has to go pro.
As insane as it sounds, if he thinks he can become the greatest Buckeye in one final year when you have Pryor getting all the attention, he's crazy. Beanie is without question the best player on the team, and he's without question the best pro prospect at RB. Todd McShay thinks Knowshon Moreno is, but he got busted up by Michigan State, and looks more like a Reggie Bush-type utility player. Beanie is the real deal at RB. For former Buckeyes to question his toughness, that has to be coming from a biased hope that he'll stay. He played 2007 with a broken wrist and a chipped bone in his ankle. He has a sprained toe in 2008, and still wanted to play in Los Angeles.
I'd like for him to come back, since having Boom Heron as the starter could turn into another Lydell Ross, but Beanie is a man amongst boys at the collegiate level. Unless the O-line gets magically better next season, he's not going to be able to accomplish what he wants.
USC smashing PSU or the Big Ten versus the Rest of the World: Here is the difference and to me it is simple as the differences between WWI & WWII. In this case we have the tools (i.e. players) we lack the mentality of a mobile and fluid scheme.
The Big Ten's trench warfare concept comes from playing in nasty weather and can lead to victory if certain conditions exist that reduce the mobility of the offenses. In addition to the static lines of defense concept, the Big Ten defensively is locked into the concept it does not have enough speed so it must play with corners off the receivers. This year’s Rose Bowl was like last year when we faced LSU. Whether we would blitz or play zone our corners were off the ball. One of the consequences was that our rushers always seemed to be a split second late. This happened yesterday as well against Penn State. Sanchez always seemed to be getting the ball off just before the rush got to him. In the first half, I cannot recall their corners playing tight man-to-man. To me this is playing scared and hoping the offense makes a mistake so you can stop them. Offense is about timing, anything you can do to disrupt that timing is necessary. Corners up, checking the receivers at the line of scrimmage is the split second difference between a rusher smoking the QB or giving him a slight shove after he just delivered the ball. For example, MSU, tried to be aggressive; it just did not have the offense to take advantage of opportunities. They stayed in the game a lot longer than I thought they would.
If tOSU is going to play defensively scared, then we should expect to play in a shootout with our offense going crazy which limits the number of carries Beanie gets during the game. If we are going to be aggressive, then it is about the cover and concealment of blitzes. We CANNOT have people blitzing standing three - five seconds in the whole they are going into. In addition to checking the receivers at the line of scrimmage to buy time, the coverage should not become apparent to the quarterback until after the ball is snapped. Split seconds wasted when QB’s are reading coverage’s in the post-snap situation are so very precious. If a QB can walk up and have an idea what the coverage is going to be in the pre-snap, he can key one defensive player and react appropriately. During the first half, Sanchez could walk up and see the coverage in the pre-snap. In today’s game, we cannot sit and wait for mistakes. We must generate and capitalize on those mistakes. USC is a very good team; however, PSU could have won that game.
This leads me to my last difference that was evident yesterday, which goes back to the static lines of defense concept vs. a mobile fluid warfare concept. You CANNOT wait until half time to make adjustments, as a battle unfolds, the coaching staff needs to be aware of what the other team is doing and make these adjustments on the fly. When PSU came out with a scheme, USC made adjustments to their offensive plan of attack and seized control of the game when PSU waited until half-time to counter. The end result was a 31-7 deficit that they could never recover from. Defensively, you have to weather the storm against USC and be willing to try multiple concepts. If you slow them down, they will become frustrated. If you become predictable, they will kill you.
In the end, this is the main difference; most of the Big Ten is predictable. Northwestern and MSU defensively are the only ones trying to break the Big Ten mold, but they just do not have the horses to do it.
cliff's notes?
he's have to get 2200 yards to become the all-time leading rusher. It's possible, but i doubt that'll happen
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/f...
what a verbal beat down. this hurt a bit
OSU runs the table in the Big Ten = Overrated conference
USC beats Big Ten team in Rose Bowl = BEST TEAM 4EVER LOL OMG
Perhaps the Big Ten being down the last couple years will force the NCAA to move towards a playoff. Once the ticket sales and TV ratings start to drop, because the nation is tired of seeing the B10 get smashed, then they might make a move, but as long as the $$$ keeps flowing in, there will be no changes.
It is sad too, can you imagine this year's playoff? Oklahoma, USC, Florida, Texas, T. Tech, Alabama, Utah, and Penn State. Those matchups may break rating records.
The B10(11) has nobody to blame but themselves. Ohio State can either make the perception worse or better on Monday night.
Did anyone else watch the Orange Bowl last night and realize how bad Fox's coverage is? Not that it is a surprise to me, just though it would be better this year.
I have always been a Tom Brennaman fan, but last night he called V. Tech, West Virginia and then two minutes later noted that Alabama was trying to finish up an undefeated season in the Sugar Bowl. Then throw in the numerous plays that were missed or commercials/replays being cut off. While I didn't see the beginning of the game, Awful Announcing has Fox showing a picture of Tim Tebow as one of the UC offensive linemen.
http://awfulannouncing.blogspo...
Is is possible to get a #15 Florida Jersey with Khalil El-Amin on the back?
Please say it's so.
The end of the game was a fucking travesty. Va Tech was just running the clock out, they cut to a car commercial, and before they even mention the car's name, it cuts back to Va Tech kneeling the ball. Something like that, anyway. Fox has been doing this for three years now and hasn't learned a damned thing.
For it to be a verbal beatdown, you have to actually have a point, or something tangible on which to base your opinion. That article is nothing more than "HURR SPEED DURR", and should be treated as such.
Speaking of awful announcing, it's 2 mins into the Texas Tech/Ole Miss game and I have to check the mute button for the 12 minutes of silence between the guys talking.
I guess it's better than Herbstreit and Musberger fellaciating Pete Carroll to kill time. There was a point that Kirk actually said "You run out of things to say about Pete Carroll and USC." THEN HE KEPT TALKING.
I can't wait for ESPN/ABC to take the reigns from Fox. As bad as ESPN/ABC coverage tends to be, they're still much, much better than Fox. It's ridiculous that Fox is allowed to cover the biggest games in college football when they don't even follow the sport throughout the season.
LOL...!
Beanie....we love you...I wont be mad if you return for your senior season! That is part of the whole "scholarship" thang..!
O - H.....
Here's to a few more (saoj's and a Beanie hop or two).
I skipped to last paragraph, hoping to get a summary. I gues not..
"Play smart football."
Here is a cliff note:
Here is the no brainer part, Texas is going to come after us fast and to run up the score on us. That way they take Beanie as soon as possible. If we play soft and do not disguise our coverages, we will get lit up. Despite everything, it may still end up being a track meet. As a result, Coach Tress and the rest of the bunch better have a plan B, C, and maybe a D. Furthermore, they better not wait until half time to make changes because the game could be over.
I am just venting because I am tired of the Big Ten being trashed. They have the players, it is all about scheme. The ability to improvise, adapt, and over come.
Thx Chaos. I have to agree whole heartedly. If we wait until the half to make an adjustment or more likely to stay with plan A we're screwed. I hope, no pray, that after two n/c humiliations Tress is open to throwing the whole playbook at Texas and mixing up the D to keep them guessing.