OSU: Wells got the message about Pryor early

COLUMBUS - Ohio State running back Chris Wells got the idea quarterback Terrelle Pryor was no ordinary freshman even before he saw him on a football field.

Wells remembers sitting in class last spring at Ohio State and getting text messages from Pryor. And they weren't just casual, catching up with a friend texts.

"There were times last year when I was in class and I was thinking he should be in class and he was texting me that he was going over films while he was still in high school," Wells said.

That kind of advanced development is an example of why Wells says he isn't concerned about how OSU's freshman quarterback will handle the pressure of his first road start in the pressurized atmosphere of Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday night.

"I think everybody in this room has seen Terrelle play and he doesn't play like a freshman," Wells said to a group of around 20 reporters earlier this week at Ohio State. "Him being a freshman is, to me, irrelevant.

"He's the type of guy who is going to go out there and perform and play hard no matter who we're playing."

Pryor will be making his third career start when No. 14 Ohio State (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) goes to No. 18 Wisconsin (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten).

Wells will be back in the lineup for a second consecutive week after sitting out three games because of a foot injury he suffered in OSU's opener.

In his first game back last Saturday, he rushed for 106 yards and Pryor gained 97 yards on the ground when Ohio State beat Minnesota 34-21. It was the first time he and Pryor had been together on the field for more than a few plays.

That set off a flurry of speculation that this means Ohio State has now become a run-first, pass-later team. One game doesn't necessarily make an offensive trend, but Wells wouldn't mind if it did.

"I would say last week was just a stepping stone and a test. It's going to be wonderful and it's going to be a sight to see," he said about OSU's offense. "I wanted this team to be a running team. I'm a running back and I'm excited that's what we're doing."

Pryor was at Wells' house for several hours on Monday night and he quickly saw the conversation was never going to stray very far from football.

"We were just talking, just about football and life in general. Terrelle is a football head, that's what he loves. It's incredible to see the desire this young quarterback has," he said.

"Being a young guy, you're not expected to come in and know everything. This kid does all right. He's in the film room, always looking for ways to get better."

Pryor is not a typical freshman quarterback in the huddle, either, according to Wells.

"He definitely has a competitive attitude. You really don't find that too much in quarterbacks. Quarterbacks are usually the laid-back guys. Terrelle, he's a guy who is going to get in your face and I like that.

"When I look at Terrelle, I think of Troy (Smith), with the attitude and everything. It's incredible the similarities of those two."