Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Jan. 27, 1994, edition 2 / Page 4
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fe/iTuee irony Former WaI^On RiNqs Up Impressive NutnbERS FinaI Year at Morris Brown ( oie\ Hell v* ;is Irving to become a vnninbHioi t?> the M?>mis Hrown program I Ik- l.iM llllll" he VWHs WOMICll jliUlll was becoming ;i starter. liven further was being .1 siai I 1 1 c*< u let I I wanted to do what's best jot the team ! wasn't trying to become a stiiikioiil <m anything." Hell saul. "livery thing |tiM soit ol fell into place." lo Iteai Hell s;i\ that and then see his niuubeis loi the yeai are two entirely dil lercnt things. licit pickcd oft seven passes, good enough lo be tied liflh nationally I In- pukotfs an impressive mimbci ion sidcring he plays tree safely. IV' 1 1 also recorded 77 tackles and probably led his team for the most punishing hits unloaded in the secondary. The honors landed licll a second team All Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Not bad lor someone who pjnyed at a Catholic high school \j\ Atlanta In fact. Photo by Wade Nash Morris Brown double bac Bell intercepts a pass in the first half of the Gridiron Classic. While teammate Maurice Dix and Clark WR Terry Becham rech for the pass in vain. they're excellent numbers tor a walk-on In l(WO. Hell decided not to play football a Tier hi Jih school day* were over .at St. Puis High School in Atlanta. While enrolled at Morris Brown, Bell supported hi R\sell by working at nights alter classes were over I hen he realized he couldn't sit on the sidelines anymore. "When I came on school, all I wanted to do was be a regular student and I had to work." said BciL wluulnlnol receive any -sort Tit hnnnnrit~.TTTt~tTiv first veaTlit the Atlanta college. "It took a sacrifice ?quit *ing mv job ? too come out. but I wanted to play football Wolverines coacjj Greg Thompson didn't know what to expect when Bell came out to play. He knew this walk-on had si/e. but wondered whether or not Bell would have the patience to sit behind some experienced safeties. ' " The biggest thing I was worried about was his lack of experience because Tic TTtways had fhc "talent Thompson said . "But throughout the three years he's been on the team. Corey has grown in his over all knowledge of" the game." What Thompson did like about Bell js his combination of size and speed. Bell bench presses 345 pounds and runs a 4.3 40-yard dash to go along with his 40- inch vertical leap, According to-defensive backs coach Willie Williams. Bell is also one of the hardest-working players on the team and has set the tone for the Wolver incs secondary all year. Belt, who only had two career starts coming into his senior season, made the most of his senior season. In his first four games, he picked off six passes. Bell made a name for himself in the game against Tuskegee. when he recorded 12 tackles and a pair of interceptions. But Bell believes he was making an impact on the game before he became a pickoff artist. "Being able to rotate from strong safety to free safety, I felt I've always made an impact on the game, even during my first start,'' said Bell, referring to his debut in the Gridiron Classic against Clark Atlanta last year. "I let my corners know I got their backup, so they can go out and take some chances. That way we go out and be more aggressive?1 The personal transformation from solid backup to valued starter began for Bell this summer. Bell spent a lot of hot summer days in the Georgia Dome cover ing Georgia Tech receivers Greg Lester and Cedric Thomas. Bell also got the opportunity to learn from some of the great corners of the game such as former San Francisco 49ers cornerback Eric Wright and 14-year veteran Everson Walls. With his confidence level soaring to unprecedented levels. Bell knew his last season would be a special one. "The most impressive thing about Corey is that he was steady in all his , games this year," Thompson said. "Many of the people diuund here consider the ? ? Tuskcgec game his best performance this year, but I think all his games have been great." While his numbers tailed off at the end of the year, it can attributed to more teams ? and players ? being cognizant of Bell on the field. Several coaches have told Thompson they have redesigned their game plans on not going to Bell's side of the field. "He breaks so well on the ball, it's hard not to pass and not see near the ball by the time it reaches a receiver," Savan nah State coach Joe Crosby said. "He's an intelligent player who could have a future at the next level." But excuse Beit if he does not have those type of dreams. With graduation coming up in May for the business admin istration major. Bell's biggest concern is trying to get into a graduate school. "I would like to play in the NFL. Who wouldn't? But right now I have other goals in life, " Bell said. "The most impor tant thing is getting Jhat degree. If playing football after school is there, fine. But I'm not going to bank on it. "After all, it wasn't like I came here on an athletic scholarship." ? Michael Jofmson
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Jan. 27, 1994, edition 2
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