The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 61 feel that chip is still there, that's the key to playing the game the correct way and being successful." He's convinced Michigan's offense can be better than it was a year ago, given the grow- ing experience of its quarterbacks, the strong line up front and the wealth of other weapons. "That is really the goal," he said. "Any- thing less than that, and all of us will not feel successful. The goal is to be better than we were last year. We're very capable of doing just that. "It's pretty cool, how good both of the quarterbacks are. It's very fortunate and a good position to be in as a receiver, especially." All of it leads to a bur- geoning excitement. Ev- ery player in a Michigan uniform feels it, coming off a championship sea- son. Bell perhaps feels it most of all, given his forced separation from a sport he loves. "I'm definitely more excited than ever be- fore," he said. "This is the longest I've ever been without football. I get so happy when we do little team walk-throughs. Just to be able to run around … I can't wait to put my helmet and shoulder pads on." He's experienced plenty of time to con- sider the elements of success, both individu- ally and as a team. He watched it play out last year and yearns to put it all into practice. "I want to lead the team and lead the re- ceivers," noted Bell. "I just want to dominate every game, just be a helping hand and an ear for everybody that needs one." That's what the 2021 leaders did, he pointed out. "The biggest thing about the guys last year was the performance," he said. "Not just be- ing a leader vocally but being a leader by the way you play — a leader by example. "All of them were very vocal, very in tune in meetings. They always were help- ing other guys out. Then they went out there and played so hard. They would make plays because of how hard they were playing and how good they were. "That helped tremendously from a leading standpoint, from a standpoint of getting guys to follow, wanting to play that hard and that well. It came from their performance alone." Bell's sense of accomplishment over get- ting back to this point already pegs in the red. He's earned a second championship of sorts, in making it past the physical and mental stress. "I'm very proud of myself for handling it mentally," he said. "Just putting in the work I have, to be running full speed with these guys, keeping up with everybody. If there's one thing that could keep you up at night or haunt you in your dreams, it's being curious if you'd lose a step. "Now that I'm back and know those night- mares aren't coming true — that it's not the reality — it feels really good." His gut reaction about the 2022 team feels even better. "This team has the po- tential to accomplish everything we intend to accomplish," Bell said. "We want to repeat as Big Ten champs, get right back to that College Football Playoff and make the whole country feel us. "This team has every opportunity to do just that." ❏ Selected as a co-captain in 2021, Bell was forced to lead from the sideline after a season-ending knee injury in the first game. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL "I'm definitely more excited than ever before. This is the longest I've ever been without foot- ball. I get so happy when we do little team walk- throughs. Just to be able to run around … I can't wait to put my helmet and shoulder pads on." BELL