The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1404875
SEPTEMBER 2021 THE WOLVERINE 33 side the rest of the game — won him more fans than he already possessed. Those moments made him stronger as a player and a person, he stressed. "The most important play is the next one," Bell said. "That's something my dad has preached to me since I was a little kid. That's what everybody was preaching in that time. All I wanted to do was get my next chance to play and continue to prove it. "You turn your phone off. It's all on you and how you respond. You either learn from it and grow, to carry on and become a better player, or you let it defeat you and eat you alive. I was not ready and not willing to let that define me. That's not how I wanted to go out." That's not how he will go out. The weeks and months that followed pro- vided a host of healing highlights. He secured a career-high nine catches for 150 yards in a 44-10 rout of Michigan State a month after his low point. He paced the Wolverines with six catches for 78 yards against Ohio State, and managed four grabs for 53 yards in the Citrus Bowl against Alabama. Bell provided six catches for 149 yards and a touchdown at Indiana last year. This year beckons as a chance to make even more memories. Whatever happens on the field, Bell's sojourn to Michigan has changed his life forever, he insists. "I love this place," he said. "The friends I've made here are unbeliev- able. They're going to be lifelong friends. Not just teammates, but guys I have worked with since I got here. "Athletically, I never could gain weight or get strong when I was in high school. I've done both of those things in the last two years — it's been really fun to do and be a part of, in the weight room. To see yourself grow, and feel yourself grow stronger. "The relationships with my team- mates, my brothers — it's unbreakable. I definitely am thankful and blessed." Of course, there remains unfinished business. He's a competitor. His team bottomed out at 2-4 last year. People call his home state the "Show-Me State," and many Michigan fans have adopted that stance toward their favor- ite football team. Bell and his teammates hear it, loud and clear. They're looking to respond. "I definitely feel a lot more moti- vated and driven than I ever have be- fore," Bell insisted. "It's almost like a sense of being pissed off, not just for myself, but for my team. "It's a respect thing that we don't have. It's driven me to anger. My pas- sion and motivation has always come from the standpoint of having a chip. But more now than ever, it's anger. It's respect — I need my respect. I demand my respect. "As a team, I feel the chip. It's not just a motivational feeling anymore. It's anger." Anger unleashed could hold the key to waking up from the dream with a smile. ❏ Bell Could Become Harbaugh's Most Productive Wideout Jim Harbaugh brought in some big names at wide receiver during his six years at Michigan. One of the least heralded — at least initially — might out-produce them all. Here's a look at Michigan's top five wideouts under Harbaugh: 1. Amara Darboh — Harbaugh inherited the top two wideouts on the list, both of whom stood out late in their careers. Darboh wound up with 151 career catches for 2,062 yards and 14 touchdowns at U-M, leading all three categories on the list of Michigan's best wideouts that played over the past half-dozen years. 2. Jehu Chesson — Chesson blossomed under Harbaugh as well, finishing his career with 114 catches for 1,639 yards and 12 touchdowns. His speed and big plays at receiver and on special teams helped highlight Harbaugh's first season at Michigan. 3. Nico Collins — Collins saw his career abbreviated by the COVID-produced delay in the 2020 season and his own extensive talents. He opted to sit out Michigan's truncated campaign last fall, finishing with 78 catches for 1,388 yards and 13 touchdowns. 4. Donovan Peoples-Jones — Peoples-Jones left with a year of eligibility remaining to head for the NFL. He did so with 103 receptions for 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns, the latter tied with Darboh for the most by a Michigan wideout that played under Harbaugh. 5. Ronnie Bell — Bell enters 2021 — the year he considers his last at Michigan — with 82 receptions for 1,304 yards and four touchdowns. He could pass Collins and Peoples-Jones in receiving yardage in Michigan's opener against Western Michigan, if he enjoys a big day. In fact, there's no number listed that is not in reach, although he's got some work to do in the touchdown-catch column. With 759 yards this season — one more than during his best effort, in 2019 — Bell would become the biggest yard- age gainer among Harbaugh's wideouts. He'd require 70 catches to claim the top spot in the receptions category, mark- ing a substantial jump up from the 48 in 2019 that marked his best. And of course, he'd need 10 touchdown grabs to tie for the top in that area. Regardless, Bell will finish his Michigan career as one of the five most produc- tive wideouts in Harbaugh's tenure. He'll definitely be No. 1, when production versus recruiting hype gets factored in. — John Borton Bell first signed a letter of intent to play bas- ketball at Missouri State before conversations with his family, and a well-timed phone call from Jim Harbaugh, brought him to U-M. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN