The Jacksonville University Head Football Coach, Kerwin Bell, signed his son Kade Bell, a quarterback, from Fleming Island High School.

Coach Kerwin Bell is most popular with Gator fans as he was the star quarterback there during 1984 and 1985, which were thought as the school’s most successful years in football pre-Tebow era. In the 1988 NFL Draft he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins but his tenure in the NFL consisted of him being a member of the Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Indianapolis Colts.

The newly acquired, 6-foot, 170-pound, Bell began his high school career at The Bolles School where he played at the Junior Varsity level. He would then move onto Providence High School as he participated as a quarterback and a defensive back.

In his junior season he recorded over 1,600 passing yards and over 300 yards rushing. Bell had a completion percentage of 68, and tallied 15 passing touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns and seven interceptions.

After a solid junior season, he moved on to Fleming Island for his last year of high school football. Individual statistics include over 2,000 passing yards and 20 touchdowns, along with over 500 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

Kade Bell mentions what he comes to expect at his new home this coming football season.

“I’m looking forward to playing for my dad at JU, I know some people will say that if I get into a game it will be because he’s my dad,” Bell said. “But he’s already told me that I’ll have to work hard and earn my way into the lineup.”

Coach Bell is excited about the acquisition of his son to the JU roster and can be seen in the years to come.

“As a father, just watching him develop as a player, I feel he has Division I ability, but he has a Division I-AA body.” Coach Bell said. “I talked to some other coaches around the country, and while they like his ability, it’s his size that is a concern.”

He didn’t want to interfere when it came to his son looking at colleges but Kade Bell made his choice clear.

“I tried to stay out of the recruiting process and let our staff handle the recruiting of Kade,” Coach Bell said. “We talked to some other schools, Elon University, Wofford College and Appalachian State University. But in the end, he decided he wanted to attend JU.”

Kade Bell is coming in at the same size Josh McGregor, JU’s current star quarterback, was when he first came to the university. He has started every game except for one since his freshman year and holds almost every single game, season and career passing record at JU.

“I feel I know his offense, know the verbiage that they use and know what he’s looking for in reading defenses,” Kade Bell said. “He’s done a great job in developing Josh McGregor, and I hope he can do that with me.”

Well folks it’s that time of year again. On Sunday, Feb. 6, Super Bowl XLV will pit the Green Bay Packers (13-6) against the Pittsburgh Steelers (14-4). The game will be held at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Camel Clutch of Business Insider predicts that Green Bay will be victorious.

“The Packers have offensive weapons they have not even used yet, and they have new weapons they did not even know they had,” Camel Clutch said. “There is an unpredictability about the Packers that makes them difficult to game plan for, and it will make them difficult to beat.”

Electronic Arts, the video game company behind the famous Madden video game series, has a different opinion of who will win the Super Bowl. They believe that the Pittsburgh Steelers will come out on top.

“Based on a simulation on the game Madden 11 it shows the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Green Bay Packers 24-20, due to a late interception by Aaron Rodgers,” said Brett Molina, reporter from USA Today.

Now personally I would rather take the opinion of a human being who knows what he’s talking about rather than what a computer simulation says. The article did also state “the simulation has been right on guessing who would win the Super Bowl for six out of seven Super Bowls”.

Admittedly, that is very impressive but did the clairvoyants over at EA take into consideration that the Steelers might be missing two important players this Sunday? Maurkice Pouncey and Aaron Smith are doubtful for Sunday. I’m not saying that because of this the Steelers are going to lose. The Packers are at a disadvantage, as much as this pains me to admit, because the Steelers are experienced when it comes to the big dance.

Of course no one will know what the outcome will be until the game is over. So on Sunday grab your remote, grab your buds, and grab your Bud Lights and tune in for what will likely be the most watched event of the year.

Well folks it’s that time of year again. On Sunday, Feb. 6, Super Bowl XLV will pit the Green Bay Packers (13-6) against the Pittsburgh Steelers (14-4). The game will be held at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Camel Clutch of Business Insider predicts that Green Bay will be victorious.

“The Packers have offensive weapons they have not even used yet, and they have new weapons they did not even know they had,” Camel Clutch said. “There is an unpredictability about the Packers that makes them difficult to game plan for, and it will make them difficult to beat.”

Electronic Arts, the video game company behind the famous Madden video game series, has a different opinion of who will hoist the Lombardi Trophy Sunday Night in Dallas. They believe that the Pittsburgh Steelers will come out on top.

“Based on a simulation on the game Madden 11 it shows the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Green Bay Packers 24-20, due to a late interception by Aaron Rodgers,” said Brett Molina, reporter from USA Today.

Now personally I would rather take the opinion of a human being who knows what he’s talking about rather than what a computer simulation says. The article did also state “the simulation has been right on guessing who would win the Super Bowl for six out of seven Super Bowls”.

Admittedly, that is very impressive but did the clairvoyants over at EA take into consideration that the Steelers might be missing two important players this Sunday? Maurkice Pouncey and Aaron Smith are doubtful for Sunday. Both players are vital pieces in the Steelers formula for victory on Sunday. That being said, the Packers are at a disadvantage, as much as this pains me to admit, because the Steelers are experienced when it comes to the big dance, since the Steelers have played in the last game of the year 3 times in the last 6 years. The Packers, however, only have two players on their roster that have played in the NFL’s main event.

Of course no one will know what the outcome will be until the game is over. So on Sunday grab your remote, grab your buds, and grab your Bud Lights and tune in for what will likely be the most watched event of the year.

Photo by Jess Hotchkiss

For the second time in just three years the JU Dolphins are Pioneer Football League Champions. Head Coach Kerwin Bell and staff’s winning formula and attitude paid off again making them two-time champs in their first four seasons.

The 2010 season culminated in the realization of the goals it began with, and then some.  No. 22 JU knocked off visiting Campbell 31-24 to finish the year as PFL Champs and ranked in the polls for the first time in team history.

Fan favorite running back Rudell Small led the ground assault converting 19 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown. Small also snagged 6 receptions for 43 yards. The combination of his efforts garnered him PFL “Player of the Week” honors in the final home game of his storied career.

Quarterback Josh McGregor struck through the air completing 16 of 25 passes for 160 yards and a TD, also managing to run one in from 4 yards out.

Wide-out Colby Walden’s special teams play earned him a “National Kick Returner of the Week” nod with an 82-yard run back and score to open the second half with a bang.

The offense racked up a total of 395 yards, the ebb and flow of the game ceasing to be an issue in the second half.  Following the kick return that put JU ahead, Campbell retook the lead with an 18-yard TD pass from QB Daniel Polk.  JU held on to tie it up with a 42-yard field goal from reliable kicker Josh Hostetler. With the game knotted at 24-24 the Dolphin’s defense put the game on their shoulders. Campbell’s ensuing drive was limited to three plays and a punt after which JU marched down the field and capped the game with Small’s winning TD.

The records set and games won this season reflect the discipline and commitment of not only the players and coaches but also that of the University faculty, staff, students and community.  The Dolphins, now No. 20 in Football Championship Subdivision rankings, will look for that continued support after the break, a bye-week leading up to the FCS Playoff Selection Show on ESPNU at 10 a.m. Sunday Nov. 21.

The No. 24 JU Dolphins, ranked in the Fathead.com/Sports Network Top 25 Poll for the first time, stormed into Morehead St. this weekend, routing the Eagles 61-17.  The Dolphins are No.1 in their conference and lead the Pioneer Football League in passing offense, passing efficiency, passes intercepted, rushing offense, scoring, total offense and sacks.

QB Josh McGregor, PFL “Player of the Week” and national College Football Performance Award’s “Offensive Performer of the Week”, threw for 347 yards completing 15 of 19 pass attempts and 7 TD’s, a new JU record.

The 7 scores tie the Pioneer League record which goes back to 2007. Josh McGregor is No. 1 in both conference and national rankings in passing efficiency (176.8) and No.1 and No.6 in respective total offense.

The team racked up 565 yards of total offense and is now averaging 45.4 points a game.

Defensive Lineman Rolando Fines was named PFL “Defensive Player of the Week” with 9 tackles (4.5 for a loss) and 3.5 sacks that tie a school record. Coupled with last week’s record setting 100-yard interception return and the minimal rushing yards allowed each week there is no question that this is a balanced team.

RB Rudell Small leads the conference in rushing and is 17^th in the nation.  J.J. Laster is right behind him in the No.2 spot and 45^th in the nation. This week the duo combined for 157 yards rushing against Morehead St. Rudell also had 4 receptions and 2 TD’s while Laster caught 3 passes for 35 yards.

The Dolphins are 8-1 (5-0 in conference), their only loss to No. 1 Appalachian St., and have two games remaining on the regular season schedule. Being that the team is now ranked in the national polls there lies the potential for an invitation to FCS Playoffs. All the Dolphins need is to win at Butler and defeat Campbell at home to hopefully climb in the polls from 24^th to the top 20.

While Coach Bell and the team are solely focused on executing well and winning the game in front of them, the rest us at JU are looking forward. The PFL and FCS rankings and playoff potential are big gains for our non-scholarship program, but becoming a scholarship program and moving up in conferences may not be far off.

Florida Georgia weekend is the annual celebration of the rivalry between the two states’ universities’ football teams.  There are block parties, tailgating festivities, face and body painted fans, and team color medleys of all shapes and sizes. Oh yeah, there is also a football game!

This year’s match-up between the Gators (5-3, 3-3) and the Bulldogs (4-5, 3-4) has been called nothing short of a classic. The 34-31 over-time victory for the University of Florida Gators was hard fought and seemingly throughout the game, improbable.

QB John Brantley, still trying to create his own light in the lingering shadow of Tim Tebow, went 16 for 25 with 193 yards no TDs and 1 interception. The combined rushing effort of, well, the rest of the team posted 231 yards and 4 TDs.

The Georgia Bulldogs surprised everyone by competing at a high level for much of the game, something they have not been able to do most of the year. QB Aaron Murray was 18 of 37 for 313 yards 3 TDs and as many interceptions. The Dog’s running game wasn’t able to match the Gators’ effort and came up with a single score.

Both quarterbacks looked hesitant in the first half with drives ending in interceptions, punts and a UF missed field goal attempt. The second quarter livened up with both teams focusing more on the run and ended 21-7 in the Gators favor. Following the break however UGA clamped down and held UF scoreless for a quarter, putting 3 of their own points on the board with a converted field goal. They followed up in the fourth quarter with 3 TDs but Florida managed ten points of their own in the final quarter forcing the OT.

UGA won the toss and hoped for the best.  Unfortunately, their best just wasn’t good enough. Aaron Murray’s third down pass was tipped and intercepted by the defense and ran back for what appeared to be a touchdown. Instant replay showed though that the runner stepped out of bounds a few yards shy of the end zone and the TD was called off.

Due to OT regulations the Gators would retain possession but had to start their drive from their own 20-yard line. The drive and game culminated in a made field goal giving the University of Florida a much needed conference win and deflating the Bulldogs little remaining hope for a decent season.

The Gators can still play for a bowl game invitation if all goes well but UGA would need a lot of help from opposing teams to do so. Either way, with teams like Auburn, TCU and Boise St. contending for the #1 spot currently held by the AU Tigers, another National Championship for the Gators is not in the foreseeable future.

Photo Courtesy of Ross Howard

Pioneer Football League “Player of the Week” QB Josh McGregor and his teammates were back at it this week against visiting Drake. The Dolphins held on to win 39-34 against the tough conference opponent, McGregor throwing for over 300 yards for the third week in a row. Twenty-one of 35 for the day, the team leader’s star is still rising as he aired it out for 320 yards, a 49 yard TD, and a single pick.

Running Back Rudell Small led the way with 124 yards and a TD on 29 carries, averaging 4.3 yards per attempt.  J.J. Laster followed up with 51 yards and a TD of his own.

The second half woes continued, however, as JU came back onto the field up 30-7. Drake scored two third quarter touchdowns while JU only managed 3 points on Kicker Josh Hostetler’s 28-yard field goal, with just over a minute remaining before the final quarter. The fourth quarter was dicey as Drake continued to fight from behind and hoped for the upset. DB Lacy McDougald shut their hopes down with a huge interception just before the final two minutes.

Coach Bell addressed the second consecutive week of post half-time stagnation, he was quoted on the JU athletics site stating, “We’ve got a lot of mistakes to correct…Drake is a good football team but we made too many mistakes and lost our focus at halftime”.

The season started just the opposite, with sluggish first half showings and second half magic to win. Whatever adjustments Coach Bell and staff made were effective, in that we’re continuing to win, but it looks like some tweaking will need to take place in the coming weeks. .

Celebrations will be short lived this week as the team turns its attention to the road.  The next game is a Valparaiso in Indiana.  Philpart and McGregor have held down the PFL “Player of the Week” honors in consecutive weeks so we will be anxious to see who steps up and claims the honors for JU next weekend.

2008 Coach of the Year Kerwin Bell and company have enjoyed a lot of success the last couple of years, so only one question remains as the new season approaches: What’s left to do? To follow up the title season in 2008 Jr. Quarterback Josh McGregor broke the team’s single season passing record throwing for 2,693 yards in 2009.

This year the seniors on the team will likely become the winningest class in JU football history with just five wins, though eleven is preferred. Standout senior running back Rudell Small has been honored with a nomination for the prestigious Walter Payton Award, based on the numbers he’s posted which also have him leading JU in just about every all-time rushing category. But if you ask Rudell he’ll tell you that it’s McGregor, and not he, who deserves the credit.

“He brings us together. One good play sparks the whole team and he keeps us going.”

The accomplishments of the past two seasons and Coach Bell’s persistent emphasis on execution have fostered a cohesiveness and trust amongst the entire team.  The initially shy and soft-spoken left tackle Leonard Payton, listed at 6’3’ 295, stressed that the team’s outlook for this season is good.

“Were polishing”, he said, breaking into a huge smile and adding “we’ve got the screws and bolts in place, just have to tighten them”.

Payton shares the rest of the team’s confidence in the star QB-RB tandem, but the team concept prevails.  The replacement receivers are coming along and freshmen tackles Juan Pimienta and Montavis Mack have made impressive strides developing both physically and mentally.

Optimism is accompanied by toughness. “Rudell is still one of the hardest working guys in the gym. He’s lifting, squatting. We feed off of him, we are all getting ready”, said Payton.

Junior Defensive Tackle Ronaldo Fines told me the team expects to be the favorite to win this year. He stated,  “Anything less is unacceptable.”

If you’re wondering  what you can do to help support the team all you need to know is that they accept no failure, doubt or criticism as absolute. Their confidence is hard fought and well earned. So when you see a player on campus and you start to feel that energy surge as the season draws near, tell them what they told me to tell you: GET READY!