COLUMBUS, Ohio — Chris "Beanie" Wells not only plans to return to the field Saturday at USC, he wants to carry the load.

Wells told coach Jim Tressel and offensive coordinator Jim Bollman on Monday: "I'm ready to carry it 45 times."

Tressel liked hearing that but cautioned: "He's not going to carry it 45 times if he's not effective."

Wells, the 6-foot-1-inch, 237-pound Heisman Trophy candidate who rushed for 222 yards against Michigan last year, injured his right big toe on his 13th carry this season and missed Saturday's game against Ohio.

Though the Buckeyes rushed for just 162 yards on 40 carries without him, receiver Brian Hartline said Ohio State doesn't need Wells to beat top-ranked USC on Saturday.

"If you want to be a great team, you can't rely on one guy," Hartline said. "Will it help? Sure. He's a great football player who wants to compete. But one player can't define us."

Ohio State did not make Wells available for comment.