Ohio State tailback Chris “Beanie”
Wells is giving up his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft.
Wells, one of seven Ohio State juniors who were considering making the early jump, issued a statement Thursday saying it’s in the best interest of his family.
Wells fought nagging injuries much of his career at Ohio State. He was considered a Heisman Trophy candidate before missing three full games this past season with a right foot injury, but he rushed for 1,197 yards.
His play was limited in the second half of Monday’s Fiesta Bowl due to symptoms of a concussion, finishing with 106 yards on 16 carries in the Buckeyes’ 24-21 loss to Texas. In three seasons, Wells ran for 3,382 yards, fourth best in school history.
> WISCONSIN: Junior running back P.J. Hill will enter the NFL draft, ending his college career third on the Badgers’ all-time rushing list with 3,996 yards. He finished last season with 1,161 yards and 13 touchdowns.
> TCU: Coach Gary Patterson has agreed to a new contract that runs through the 2014 season. TCU didn’t release terms of the contract. The Frogs went 11-2 and handed Boise State its only loss with a 17-16 victory in the Poinsettia Bowl. It was TCU’s fourth 11-win season in the past six years.
> WAKE FOREST: Officials said 40-year-old Bob Yakos of Clemmons, N.C., was declared the winner of its Last Fan Sitting contest after he braved wind, rain and low temperatures to win four Wake Forest season tickets for the next 15 years. The physician’s assistant beat out 23 other contestants after spending almost 75 hours at the university’s BB&T Field.
> BCS LAWSUIT: The BCS coordinator said major college football’s leaders feel the postseason system is in compliance with federal antitrust laws. Speaking to reporters, ACC commissioner John Swofford did not specifically address the Utah attorney general’s threat of an antitrust lawsuit against the Bowl Championship Series. But he says the BCS has carefully considered the legality of its format.
