8/12/22 Player Availability
Q:
How are feeling being back, do you feel like you’re back to full go like you were a year ago?
Bell:
I would say yes, I do, I feel blessed man. I’m beyond excited about every single day and I feel really good. My body feels great. Making plays, and it’s fun, man, it’s a lot of fun.
Q:
How difficult is it to kind of get back into the swing in the sense of, you know, you’ve been laid up for a while? How difficult is it to just trust that you’re healed or you’re testing certain parts out?
Bell:
Oh, it definitely was like that the first couple of days was like that. It was very rusty. You know, I mean, like having people around you as you’re running around. I’ve been running routes for months, but I didn’t run routes with people around me. So kicking off the rust of being comfortable with people around you and then I don’t know what day but I finally jumped up and made a play on the ball, like one of the early days in camp and it was like, once that happened, it was like the biggest weight lifted off my shoulder that I think I’ve ever had. So since then I feel like I’ve been back and rolling.
Q:
Sherrone mentioned that you’d even set some personal records in some physical stats. Do you feel like you’re even stronger in some aspects than you were before the injury?
Bell:
Yes, I do. Um, and yeah, I even honestly shocked myself because I had a PR that I had set a couple of years ago that I couldn’t break. And I ended up beating that and I was super excited about that. Just rehabbing everyday focusing on yourself for nine straight months. Like I told myself whenever it all happened if I didn’t come out on the other end stronger, I was doing something wrong. So that was the goal for sure and I’m glad that that’s kind of how it went.
Q:
What was that PR?
Bell:
The L cone?
Q:
Does it feel like it maybe helps your game a bit this year to having spent the last year essentially being a player coach, you know, working kind of more on the coaching side helping players along understanding the game. Do you feel like that aids you this year?
Bell:
Yeah, for a couple of things like one definitely, you know, just the constant film, you know, that I’m getting in with, like being with the coaches and watching the film. And, you know, hearing their ideas and hearing what they’re looking at, what they’re seeing, and just different little details from that standpoint. I think that helped me a lot. And then also just like, on how to how to lead, you know, I mean, or communicate with guys because like, last year, I felt like I was in a funny situation, because I wasn’t necessarily playing. I was trying to help guys out and like, tell them where and what to do and stuff. I always kind of felt kind of funny, because I couldn’t go out there and show you what to do. But so like me being able to handle that last year and being able to do that while not playing it’s helped me now because now I can you know, like, you got to run it like this and then I’ll go out there and I can run it like that and be able to help guys out at times.
Q:
Are there any DBs that you when you’re going up against them one on one you feel like it’s gonna be a bit of a challenge?
Bell:
Yeah, all the DBs man, they all of them so far I’ve been really really well with their technique. DJ Turner, Gemon both of them have been like I think have been playing really, really well these first few days of camp like in one-on-ones or in a one-on-one situation. Like they just you can tell how comfortable they are and like they do a good job.
Q:
Do you want to return again?
Bell:
I do.
Q: Have you been working?
Bell:
Yes, I have to go earn the spot.
Q:
Why do you I mean, you know a lot of people say well, that’s where you got injured. I mean, why would you want to get back in?
Bell:
I’ve always been a punt returner, I feel like I’m comfortable being a punt returner so that’s something I want to do.
Q:
Did you volunteer to do that?
Bell:
Yeah, I mean, I just went back there again.
Q:
How did your chemistry feel with Cade when you guys were able to get back out there again this fall- did it take a couple days to get back into it because you had a couple of years of banked reps?
Bell:
I mean it was with all the quarterbacks really just to know like I said I was rusty the first day or two of camp and it’s been a lot better since though. So yeah, just took reps, just needed live reps. We have some bullets flying so once we got a couple of those that are about I think all of us are feeling really good.
Q:
Which wide receiver is going to surprise people this year?
Bell:
I wouldn’t be surprised if the receiver that surprises people this year is Peyton O’Leary.
Q:
Why is that?
Bell:
Because he has had one hell of a camp.
Q:
You were voted a captain last season and then you talked about being a leader learning to be a leader differently, not being on the field. How much did that help you in terms of this year becoming a leader? Continuing as a leader?
Bell:
So yeah, that’s kind of what I was saying, like for me to figure out last year kind of how to communicate with guys and get through to guys without being able to necessarily show them physically, like, what I’m trying to, you know, trying to get accomplished. Like, I feel like that was, I feel like that was kind of what made last year that kind of awkward for me as I was leaving. And so like this year now, like, it’s just a lot more, I guess it just flows a lot smoother, you know, I mean, because it’s like, like, yeah, Ronnie saying that. Okay, but then Ronnie is also doing it. So like, you know, I mean, like, I feel like guys are able to, you know, stay with it.
Q:
With the room that that has maybe 7, 8, 9 guys that would be capable of contributing this year, what do you think is the key to keeping everybody happy as games go and snap counts vary week to week?
Bell:
I mean, it just comes down to making plays and just what you put on film. We’ve got the whole room capable of that so that’s really what it comes down to. I feel like it’s a great position to be in you know when you got that many guys that you feel that comfortable with, so no complaining now.
Q:
How much do you think the offense changed after you got hurt in that first game? And what do you what was it like watching the offense kind of evolve last season?
Bell:
It just change…my favorite part about last year was watching the receivers grow every week. Like, you know, the game right after was Washington. And I mean, I don’t think we threw the ball in the second half and then the next week, and then by the time we got to Wisconsin, you know, you see CJ play the way he did and Roman the way he did, like, watching the receiving room just evolve throughout….I mean everybody stepped up and started making plays. So that was my favorite part about last year. So like the offense maybe hit like a speed bump, you know, I mean, but they just got rolling, and just started dominating. My favorite part about it definitely was the way the receiver room stepped up.
Ronnie Bell
Excited is an understatement…I’ve been thinking about playing the game for a year now…I’m like beyond excited, man, I’m ready to go.
Q:
And what was it like walking back in I guess, you know, with the kind of team leadership dynamics changing with your absence, some guys emerged, obviously, over the course of the year, I mean, what was that like to kind of walk back into the situation where you are, again, integrated into the mix again?
Bell:
Man….excited is an understatement, I was so ready to go…we had mentioned how like, games are probably like, three weeks out, or whatever it is and I’m like, man, I’ve been thinking about playing the game for a year now. Like, I’m like beyond excited, man, I’m ready to go.
Q:
What do you think distinguishes Cornelius’ game?
Bell:
Definitely, just how explosive he is. And you know, he used his body really well, when he’s getting open, and kind of awkward situations, but a DB. And those are like, two of the things I feel like separate him. I mean, he’s very explosive, though.
Q:
How have the young receivers done so far?
Bell:
They’ve done great. There’s Clemens, Amorion Walker, and Tyler Morris, all three of them. They got here in the spring, or January, I mean, so they were here for spring ball. You know, spring ball was a little rough. You know, you’re trying to learn the playbook and also you think about all your high school friends you know, everything switches around real quick. And so far throughout this camp, though, all of them have made plays and like it’s been pretty cool to see how much more comfortable they are especially Amorion he’s like, night and day from like, a standpoint of just like getting lined up, you know, like something like a small is that…they all have taken big, big steps, but him especially he’s come a long way.
Q:
Are you surprised with how quickly Mike Saintristil made the transition to defense?
Bell:
No, I’m not and I think I talked about this when he first switched over because for last few years he’s always like, just randomly back in spring ball randomly or fall camp but he was playing defensive one day. Mike has always flirted with playing on the defensive side of the ball and he’s always been good at it. So, but he’s also really good at receiver, like, you know, pick and choose and so no, I didn’t shock me in the slightest to see how comfortable he was playing on that side of the ball.
Q:
How comfortable are you now? I mean, not to help. I got probably a whole time working with Ron Bellamy as a designated position coach?
Bell:
Yeah, he’s done a good job…it’s really cool having like our guy that, you know, played receiver, especially here. So it’s like pretty cool, and he’s done a good job with the whole receiving group and bringing us all in and you know, coaching us up.
Edits made for clarity.
