#76 Dan Bell
LG
Junior – Menomonee Falls, WI
6’5″-310
Last season (2015) – Backup at Offensive Guard.
The UND offensive line took a major hit in the off season with the loss of three All-Big Sky performers. LG Brandon Anderson, RG Sean Meehan and C Colton Boas all graduated leaving a gaping hole in the middle of the offense.
Those three offensive lineman spear-headed a powerful rushing attack that averaged 240 yds/game and allowed freshman All-American RB John Santiago to rush for over 1,400 yards and 16 TD’s.
One of the obvious candidates to fill Anderson’s spot at left guard is Dan Bell.
Bell has been a backup his first two years at UND after redshirting his freshman season. The junior out of Menomonee Falls has needed that time to develop into an FCS-level offensive lineman and by all accounts he is ready to take that next step this season. Reps and consistency are the keys to Bell having a big year for UND.
Bell’s strength is his athletic ability. He runs like a tight end and has pretty good footwork, also. Bell will have no issue pulling on counters, etc. He also has the size at 6’5″-310 to be a force on the inside running game and hold up fine vs. larger defensive lineman that prefer a bull rush.
OC Paul Rudolph’s power running offense is completely based around the ability of his offensive lineman to get a push and beat the man across from them. If the offensive line cannot move people, UND is in trouble.
UND is not a passing team. The run sets up the pass, like we saw in the last game of the season vs. Poly where QB Keaton Studsrud hit WR Clive Georges on a long post for a TD. The safety has sucked up to help with the run and the middle of the field was wide open. The offensive line gave Studsrud time and he found Georges after the play-action sucked up the DB/LB’s.
The maturation of LG Dan Bell will be a vital key to UND becoming a playoff team in 2016.
Entire offensive line needs to succeed in 2016. Only one proven player returning. Season is on their shoulders.
Stockwell and Grady are proven. The rest should step up since they have had plenty of time to develop.
Honestly, we are going to worry about Grady when we actually see him consistently on campus. He still has not been around much for some reason.
Bell might not be the only OL in the top five list.
Bell was a supposed big time recruit. Time for him to make good on that potential.
I think Bell, Coe, Taylor and Cox all need to succeed this year. Big time…….