Wells has broken bone in hand

CLEVELAND -- He's had bone spurs, a high ankle sprain and a bruised thumb.

Now you can add a broken bone to Beanie Wells' growing injury list.

Wells appeared at the Ohio State Alumni Association banquet last night in Cleveland wearing a brace on his left hand. Turns out, he's played much of this year with a broken bone in the hand. Only, he just found out about it on Monday.

''I'm not sure when I broke it,'' he said. ''It's been bothering me for awhile. They just finally x-rayed it (Monday).''

The broken bone near his thumb didn't slow him Saturday against Michigan, when Wells carried 39 times for 222 yards, both career highs, to go with his two touchdowns. Wells never even carried the ball that much in one game in high school.

''I went to sleep as soon as I got home; I was so tired,'' the running back said. ''I didn't want to go out and celebrate or anything. I just wanted to get to bed.''

Wells said he wasn't sure how long his hand would be in the brace, but that he certainly would be ready for the bowl game -- whether it's the Rose Bowl or the national title game.

In other news, left tackle Alex Boone filed paperwork yesterday with the NFL to gauge his draft status, although at this point, Boone is committed on returning for his senior year.

''As of right now, I'll be back,'' Boone said. ''I just wanted to see where I fall ... but I should be returning.''

Boone could be one of a slew of underclassmen preparing for their final game as Buckeyes. Malcolm Jenkins, Vernon Gholston and James Laurinaitis would all be first-day picks, and all three could go in the first round. Brian Robiskie might also consider leaving, since his father coaches in the NFL and could probably tell him better than anyone whether he's ready.

For now, the players are enjoying a week off and celebrating Thanksgiving with their families before returning to work in preparation for the bowl game. That includes Jim Tressel, who had a chance last night to reflect on his tenure after Lloyd Carr's retirement this week.

Tressel has never given any indication of how long he'll remain at Ohio State, but it's interesting to think that now wrapping up his seventh year, he's more than halfway to the 13 years Carr spent in Ann Arbor.

''I only want to do it as long as I'm the best guy for the job,'' Tressel said. ''I'm hoping it's awhile.''

Tressel called Carr's time at Michigan like being in a ''pressure cooker,'' similar to the one he sits in every day. But it's not the wins and losses which cause the anxiety, it's the time.

''There's not enough hours in the day that you'd like to do for the good of the program,'' Tressel said.

''It's the time demand of doing everything you'd like to do so that you do the best you can here. A byproduct of that is you don't have time to do much else (personally).''

Tressel, though, doesn't have any hobbies he's anxious to start. He doesn't feel retirement calling anytime soon.

''I think a lot of coaches, when they stop coaching, find out that they miss the coaching,'' he said. ''I haven't seen too many of them just get a fishing pole and go sit around ... At this moment in my life, I'm not dying to go fishing.''

Source: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19044530&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=46370&rfi=6