Mike Bell

Bell is a well-built athlete who has drawn comparisons to former Green Bay Packers standout Dorsey Levens for his combination of power, quickness, balance, change of direction, agility and natural hands. The two-time Wildcats team captain is a classic example that with hard work and strong determination, a player of his ability can produce. Bell was a four-year standout at Tolleson High School. He received nine votes from the 10-member Best in the West coaches panel of the Long Beach Press-Telegram and was the premier running back on the Tacoma News-Tribune Western 100 list. He was a unanimous Arizona Player of the Year choice by the Arizona Republic and Phoenix Metro Football. Bell rushed for 2,484 yards as a high school senior, averaging 8.7 yards per carry, and became only the second player in state history to rush for 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons (added 2,038 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior). His 2,484 yards rank second in Arizona Class 4A annals behind former teammate Marcus Thomas (3,573 for Tolleson in 2002) and ranks fourth in state history behind Thomas, Mario Bates (2,740 for Class 5A Tucson Amphitheater HS in 1990 and 2,961 by Scooter Sprotte of Class 3A Lakeside Blue Ridge HS). In twelve games in 2000, the speedy power running back scored 35 touchdowns. His career rushing total of 4,692 yards stands as the second-best figure in state Class 4A history, topped only by Marcus Thomas' 5,878 yards in 2000-02. Bell also lettered four years in track and two years in basketball. He competed in the 100, 200, 300 IH, 110 HH, and 4x400 and 4x100 relays in track. Bell received the school's Academic Honor Roll and Outstanding Senior Award during graduation exercises. Bell sat out the 2001 season at Arizona, but earned five starts the following year. He led the team with 341 yards on 106 carries (3.2 avg) and a touchdown. Bell also added 136 yards and a score on thirteen receptions (10.5 avg). He then started ten of twelve games as a sophomore, again leading the team with 168 attempts for 920 yards (5.5 avg) and six touchdowns in 2003. He ran for 43 first downs, converting ten third-down plays, and also came up with six catches for 53 yards (8.8 avg). In 2004, Bell joined Hubert Oliver (1978-80), David Adams (1984-86), Ontiwaun Carter (1992-94) and Trung Canidate (1997-99) as the only players in school history to lead the team in rushing in three consecutive seasons. He totaled a career-high 950 yards with five touchdowns on 204 carries (4.7 avg). He registered 59 first-down runs, including 10 on third-down plays. Bell also caught 19 passes for 79 yards (4.2 avg). In 2005, Bell led the team with 952 yards and five touchdowns on 200 carries (4.8 avg). He ranked seventh in the Pac-10 Conference with an average of 86.5 yards per game rushing. 65 of his 200 attempts resulted in first downs, the third-best figure among Division 1-A running backs. He converted 18 third-down runs into first downs. Bell also added 197 yards on 18 catches (10.9 avg). In 46 games, Bell started 35 times. He carried 678 times for 3,166 yards (4.7 avg) and 17 touchdowns. Bell became the fifth Arizona player to gain over 3,000 yards rushing in a career and the fourth Wildcat in Pac-10 Conference annals. He had 187 rushing attempts that resulted in first downs, converting 39 third-down plays in the process. He also gained 465 yards with a score on 56 receptions (8.3 avg).

as a receiver, bell is capable of handling assignments in screens, dump-offs and swing routes. he has good hands and arm extension, catching the ball cleanly away from the body. he makes good body adjustments tracking the ball in flight and is quick to settle into his patterns and find the soft spot in the zone.

As a blocker, he is very effective at locating and cutting down the linebackers working in space. He shows good aggression and a strong hand punch to face up and wall off the edge rushers when blocking at the line of scrimmage.

bell relies more on his natural ability on the field and is still developing blocking scheme recognition. he will need a few reps in order to digest the play, but is a tireless worker with a good attitude. he is a respected leader who again served as team captain in 2005. he gives good effort and plays with intensity and aggression.

During the 2005 off-season, he added close to ten pounds of muscle in order to absorb the inside punishment. He continued his learning progress (reading blocks/hole development) throughout his senior year and shows that he can be a very capable starter at the next level.

early in his career, bell did not anticipate the hole development or follow his blocks, but he made great improvement as a junior, showing the vision and initial quickness to drive hard through contact and accelerate, to run away from the pile. bell has more than enough power to break tackles. he shows very good body lean and the cutback ability to easily redirect. he squares his shoulders to run through arm tackles and shows crispness in his cuts.

In 2005, Bell displayed his excellent cutback agility. He continued to develop as a short-yardage runner, converting 16 third-down plays into first downs. He showed very good patience waiting for blocks to develop and certainly proved his "chain moving" ability, as more than a third of his carries resulted in first downs.

bell is a well-built power runner with the quickness and change of direction agility to makes tacklers miss running into the second level. he might lack the timed speed to win foot races going long distances, but he has the body control, balance and leg drive to excel at gaining big yardage running between the tackles. he comes out of his stance at a good pad level and developed better patience in 2004 waiting for holes to develop. he has very good pick-and-slide agility to avoid defenders working into level two and has the short burst needed to come out of his cuts quickly.

He is a tough, competitive runner who constantly keeps his legs moving to fight for extra yardage. Bell has enough hip snap and lateral agility to create much on his own. He might not have the blazing speed you look for to run outside, but he takes no wasted steps and does not gather when making his cuts.

negatives

More quick than fast, lacking the second gear to win many long distance foot races, but compensates by taking good angles and showing above-average cutting ability to redirect...Relied more on his instincts than an understanding of blocking schemes early in his career, but has made strides to improve in this area...Shows steady acceleration, but needs to recognize hole development better (sometimes runs into the pile)...Does not have the pure speed to reach the corner, but his balance and lateral agility allow him to compensate with quickness in and out of his cuts...Needs to show better awareness of stunts and schemes, as he fails to be locate the blitz and gets into poor position to make the block.

positives

Has a well-built frame with a good bubble, defined arm muscles, thick thighs and calves, broad shoulders and tight waist and hips...Gets into stride quickly coming out of his stance, showing the ability to pick and slide effortlessly through the holes...Has made steady improvement with his field vision and shows the short burst and strong leg drive needed to break tackles running up the middle...Runs with above average balance and body control, showing the body lean and quickness to squeeze through the smaller rush lanes...Does a good job of squaring up and getting up field when bouncing wide... More quick than fast, but runs at a low pad level to accelerate up the hole...Has the ability to make the initial tackler miss, as he is crisp when cutting back and redirecting...Displays good hand/eye coordination and body control tracking the ball in flight...Has become an effective route runner who breaks quickly in and out of his cuts...Has the natural hand-catching ability to secure the ball away from the body...Shows good aggression and vision as a cut blocker, doing a nice job of locating and neutralizing linebackers up field...Generates a strong hand punch and will not hesitate to face up to the larger pass rushers when working in pass protection, but needs better recognition skills.

2003: Bothered by a shoulder strain (AC joint) early in the year and saw only limited action against Oregon, Purdue and TCU. 2002: Suffered right turf toe during spring camp.

Campus: 4.56 in the 40-yard dash

30 ½-inch arm length

8 ½-inch hands

Right-handed

10/28 Wonderlic score.

Attended Tolleson (Phoenix, Ariz.) High School, playing four years of football for coach Dan Widmaier

Parade, Prep Star Dream Team, Rivals100.com and Super Prep All-American selection

Received nine votes from the 10-member Best in the West coaches panel for the Long Beach Press-Telegram and was the premier running back on the Tacoma News-Tribune Western 100 list

Unanimous Arizona Player of the Year choice by the Arizona Republic and Phoenix Metro Football

Rushed for 2,484 yards as a senior, averaging 8.7 yards per carry. Became only the second player in state history to rush for 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons (added 2,038 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior)

His 2,484 yards rank second in Arizona Class 4A annals behind former teammate Marcus Thomas (3,573 for Tolleson in 2002) and ranks fourth in state history behind Thomas, Mario Bates (2,740 for Class 5A Tucson Amphitheater HS in 1990) and the 2,961 of Scooter Sprotte of Class 3A Lakeside Blue Ridge HS

In twelve games in 2000, the speedy power running back scored 35 touchdowns

As a senior, he set a school record for rushing yards in a single game with 331 yards on 24 carries and also scored four touchdowns, averaging 13.8 yards per carry

His career rushing total of 4,692 yards stands as the second-best figure in state Class 4A history, topped only by Thomas' 5,878 yards from 2000-02

Bell also lettered four years in track and two years in basketball

Competed in the 100, 200, 300 IH, 110 HH, and 4x400 and 4x100 relays in track

Received the school's Academic Honor Roll and Outstanding Senior Award during graduation exercises.

Sociology major

Son of Linda and Anthony Bell

Parents both work for the city of Phoenix

Born Michael Steven Bell on 4/23/83

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