DaytonDailyNews.com

COLUMBUS — Ohio State football coaches and players may be perplexed at freshman Chris Wells' propensity for fumbling, but his high school coach dealt with the same issue and was afraid the shortcoming might follow the tailback to college.

And brace yourselves, Buckeye fans: There may be no sure-fire solution.

The gifted Wells has rushed for 412 yards and five touchdowns on 86 carries (a 4.8 average), and he's been practically automatic when the team has needed a crucial yard or two. But he's been losing his grip on the ball.

He's lost four fumbles this season — the Buckeyes have just 11 turnovers overall — and he handed it to Illinois last week without even being touched.

"I am surprised (he's had that many) with the limited amount of carries he's had," Akron Garfield coach Bob Sax said. "But fumbling is not a new thing with him."

Sax said Wells always had a tendency to cough it up early in games before getting into a groove. And having averaged only 8.6 carries as a backup to junior Antonio Pittman, Wells hasn't had much of a chance to find a comfort zone.

And while his 6-foot-1, 235-pound frame and sprinter's speed allow him to thunder through defenses, he does have one physical liability for a tailback.

"His arms are so long," Sax said. "Guys who have shorter arms can cradle the football. His hands are huge, but when he tries to cradle it in his right arm, the point doesn't go back to where his elbow bends."

His fumble against the Illini wasn't his first in the open field, either.

"He did that once for me as a freshman," Sax said. "He was going on a 50-yard screen and just dropped the ball. Right then, the coaches said to each other, 'Look at his arms.' "

Wells was sent to the bench after his second-quarter fumble against Illinois and never returned. And the Buckeyes' lack of production in the second half — they gained just 29 total yards — may have been proof of how vital he is to the offense.

"You've seen glimpses of what he can do, carrying eight college guys on his back for a five-yard gain," Sax said. "That's why I think it's so crucial to fix this problem. He and Pittman are a great one-two punch. In the fourth quarter, when you're running the clock, he can get positive yardage almost every carry."

Although he's troubled by Wells' repeated mistakes, OSU coach Jim Tressel has a history of being patient with potential stars. Tressel stuck with Maurice Clarett after he lost three fumbles in a game as a freshman, and he doesn't plan to give up on Wells.

"How concerned am I? Tremendously concerned — whether it's Chris or anyone doing any job that isn't getting done the way we need it as a team," Tressel said. "I'd like to think that, one day, he'll get that under control. And I'm hoping it's this day.

"Unfortunately, it's just like a quarterback who can add a lot to the team. If they throw it to the other guys ... what's the risk-versus-reward component there? But I'm hoping he'll be a big, positive part of what we do these next two weeks through the regular season and on into the bowl game."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.