Buckeyes ponder tailback tandem

COLUMBUS (AP) — With Chris “Beanie” Wells gone, Ohio State’s coaches may go to a tailback tandem.

They’re hoping Dan “Boom” Herron, a Warren Harding High graduate, and Brandon Saine can offset the loss of Wells’ massive production.

“The thought I’ve had is that this may be the most comfortable situation — to really use two backs, like the pros are,” Buckeyes running backs coach Dick Tressel said Thursday.

Wells was a picture of polar opposites the last three years for the Buckeyes. To his teammates and observers, he was a smiley kid with a sunny disposition who always seemed upbeat and slow to anger.

Yet on the field he sought out collisions, had a flare for the dramatic and liked nothing more than to belittle a defender by straight-arming him aside or jumping completely over him.

Two years ago he ran for 1,609 yards. Last season he rushed for 1,197 yards despite missing 31‚Ñ2 games with a foot injury. Then he elected to give up his senior year to jump to the NFL draft, where he is projected to be a mid- to late-first round pick.

Herron had some success when filling in for Wells while he was out early last season, gaining 439 yards. Saine was a budding star two years ago before he tore a knee ligament and later twisted an ankle, then petered out last year because of two more injuries.

Now they are the only two scholarship tailbacks in Ohio State’s spring camp.

They play the same position, but they are decidedly different players.

Herron, who is charitably listed at 5-foot-10 while carrying 198 pounds, is a physical runner and versatile player. He doesn’t mind grinding out the hard yards up the middle, but can also cut to the perimeter for yardage.

He bristles at questions about his size.

“A lot of guys might not know my strengths. They might look at my size and say, ’Hey, he’s just a little guy. He’s not going to bring that much power,”’ he said. “Then I hit ’em and it’s like, ‘Whoa.’ ... I’ve had guys come up to me after a game and say, ‘You run hard for your size.’ ”

Saine, who is 6-1, 217, is the speed back, a former sprint champion in high school who has had few chances to flash his quickness because of those injuries.

The coaching staff considers him the fastest player on the squad — when he’s healthy.

“I guess [fans] haven’t seen everything I can do. With an opportunity to play a lot more, I’ll be able to show them everything,” he said.