Random thoughts while wondering who would be favored in a steel-cage match between Chuck Norris and Tim Tebow:

DAN THE MAN: Chris "Beanie" Wells has been taking the handoffs for the Ohio State Buckeyes for the last three years, but last week the junior tailback was on the other end of one.

Just a few days after Texas beat Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, Wells announced he was giving up his final season of eligibility to enter the NFL draft. That means the early favorite to be the Buckeyes' feature back next season is Warren's own Daniel "Boom" Herron, who will be a redshirt sophomore this fall.

Herron filled in capably for Wells when the tailback from Akron was hurt early in the season, and he filled in for him again in the second half against the Longhorns after Wells suffered a concussion. Herron scored the go-ahead touchdown for Ohio State before Colt McCoy rallied Texas to a 24-21 victory.

The Buckeyes' offense is likely to change somewhat by next season as Terrelle Pryor continues his development, but that won't mean less of an emphasis on the tailback. It's just that Ohio State coach Jim Tressel will have a full offseason to tweak the offense to make the most of Pryor's skills, as opposed to this season, when the Buckeyes changed quarterbacks in midseason.

Maybe the Buckeyes will look a bit more like the West Virginia Mountaineers. Remember, even with Pat White at quarterback, WVU still had a 1,000-yard rusher in Steve Slaton, until Slaton went to the NFL.

Those who watched Herron play at Warren G. Harding High School should get to see plenty of him with the Buckeyes over the next two or three years.

GOOD CHOICE: Wells made the right call. With his injury history and the fact the average career length of an NFL running back is just three seasons, there was no reason for Wells to risk his future by returning to Ohio State, even if he felt he didn't accomplish all he wanted to in college.

Wells finished his career fourth on the Buckeyes' all-time rushing list with 3,382 yards. Even with just two seasons as a starter, he managed to join select company in Columbus.

TEBOW TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE: The FOX lovefest with Tim Tebow on Thursday night was sickeningly sweet more often than not. I like Tebow as a player, but after spending five minutes with him during BCS championship media day in Arizona two years ago, I noticed no discernible improvement in my life that I could attribute to that brief interview. Sorry, Thom Brennaman.

But some observers who are criticizing Tebow for being too good to be true need to cut him a break. These are probably the same people who rant about the misdeeds of other athletes, but when presented with a talented, likeable and apparently upstanding kid like Tebow, they're turned off because he's too nice.

But could he really take Chuck Norris?

GIVE MANGINI A CHANCE: Most of the criticism of the Cleveland Browns' hiring of Eric Mangini seems to have its roots in his game-day decisions with the New York Jets, particularly the last two years.

Football isn't rocket science. I'm pretty sure Mangini knows when to call a timeout and how to manage the clock in the fourth quarter. Situations like those won't make or break him in Cleveland.

I'm more worried about Mangini's ability to change the culture in the Browns' locker room, and to turn some of their talented, but selfish and largely unproductive players into solid team guys. Changing 10 years of underachievement will be much more critical to Mangini's success here than knowing when to throw that red challenge flag or when to kick a field goal.

epuskas@tribtoday.com