Bell vs Allen in 2016 and 2017, Connections

[Crusty The Baker]

I went back to the 2016 game in Bloomington, Allen's first as DC, and the 2017 game in College Park, Allen's first as HC/DC. Walt Bell was the OC in both games. (Clarification edit: CTA got to know Bell as his opponent in both game prep and during the game itself.)

2016 Stats - IU 42, MD 36. Chrome helmet game at home. Maryland's QB threw 2 TD, 66% completion, rushed for 269. They had 517 total yards and were 3-3 on 4th down. IU had the two Kevins running the O, plus DMac as RB coach. 414(!) yards rushing.

2017 Stats - IU 39, MD 42. Maryland only had 18 first downs, 345 total yards, and had 133 yards in penalties working with several short fields. They gashed us through the air, almost 11 ypp. Rushing was 4.4 ypc.

According to this piece, which looks (maybe a little too) similar to this FSU press release, Bell had a first round draft pick at WR at Maryland.

Here's a clip with some speculation from FSU people about why he left FSU for UMass. Bell seems animated, energetic, and intense in the video clip. Maybe that's part of the appeal for CTA. These aren’t the first words I'd use to describe either Debord or Sheridan. Maybe CTA and Bell see some of themselves in each other.

Walt Bell didn’t come out of nowhere. Willie Taggart seems to be an important influence here. CTA was Willie Taggart's DC at South Florida and Taggart was HC at FSU when Bell was there. I wonder what Taggart told CTA about Bell and what CTA heard. Taggart also knows Hiller well since Hiller was his OL coach the year CTA was his DC.

Honestly, I have no clue how this will pan out. How well will DMac, Heard, Hiller, Wellman, and Bell like each other and work together as a team in player development, recruiting, and creating and installing an offensive system of plays that build off each other and can be executed at a high level by the players we have? How skilled is Bell at coaching quarterbacks? How will the group emphasize WR blocking? How will they run practices? Is this deliberately a short term thing, like Kane Wommack? Surely the rest of the offensive staff interviewed him. I'll still watch and hope that the Hoosiers win. For some reason, IU Football is a source of entertainment for me.

 

[red hornet]

The Walt Bell clip above is worth your viewing.

 

[Crusty The Baker]

DJ Matthews also played under Bell at FSU. Thanks to this Daily Hoosier article for pointing that out.

Hopefully, the program gets to the point where the staff can stabilize a bit.

 

[sparkeyreturns]

Lets take a look at his overall yearly ranking as that gives the most data points. It appears that he was not terrible for only two years and that was at Arkansas State where the head coach was Blake Anderson who is the Utah State head coach that is throwing up a ton of points.

ARKANSAS STATE (2014-15)​

Bell’s first stint as a play caller came with the Red Wolves in the Sun Belt Conference. This is where he made a name for himself and became thought of as an offensive guru.

2014

• Points per game: No. 19 (36.6 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 20 (476.5 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 40 (260.1 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 27 (216.4 yards per game)

2015

• Points per game: No. 12 (40.0 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 37 (438.5 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 85 (207.2 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 15 (231.3 yards per game)

MARYLAND (2016-17)​

Bell went on to spend two seasons in the Big Ten East at Maryland where he was the play caller both years under head coach D.J. Durkin.

2016

• Points per game: No. 88 (25.8 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 93 (377.8 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 106 (178.2 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 43 (199.5 yards per game)

2017

• Points per game: No. 100 (24.1 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 120 (323.3 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 116 (161.7 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 69 (161.7 yards per game)
  
  
  

• FLORIDA STATE (2018)​

  2018
  
  • Points per game: No. 113 (21.9 points per game)
  • Total offense: No. 103 (361.2 yards per game)
  • Passing offense: No. 28 (270.1 yards per game)
  • Rushing offense: No. 127 (91.1 yards per game)

UMASS (2019-21)​

At age 34, Bell became one of the youngest head coaches in the FBS when he took over at UMass following the 2018 campaign. In 2019 the Minutemen were the youngest FBS team in the nation.

In addition to his head coaching duties, Bell was also the offensive play caller in 2019 and 2021, but not in 2020 when he ceded those duties to Angelo Mirando.

2019

• Points per game: No. 118 (19.8 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 126 (293.1 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 117 (168.5 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 114 (124.6 yards per game)

2020 (4 games)

• Points per game: No. 127 (3.0 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 127 (187.5 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 123 (120.3 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 126 (67.25 yards per game)

2021

• Points per game: No. 126 (16.3 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 122 (299.7 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 123 (152.7 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 81 (147 yards per game)

 

[Crusty The Baker]

Lets take a look at his overall yearly ranking as that gives the most data points. It appears that he was not terrible for only two years and that was at Arkansas State where the head coach was Blake Anderson who is the Utah State head coach that is throwing up a ton of points.

ARKANSAS STATE (2014-15)​

Bell’s first stint as a play caller came with the Red Wolves in the Sun Belt Conference. This is where he made a name for himself and became thought of as an offensive guru.

2014

• Points per game: No. 19 (36.6 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 20 (476.5 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 40 (260.1 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 27 (216.4 yards per game)

2015

• Points per game: No. 12 (40.0 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 37 (438.5 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 85 (207.2 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 15 (231.3 yards per game)

MARYLAND (2016-17)​

Bell went on to spend two seasons in the Big Ten East at Maryland where he was the play caller both years under head coach D.J. Durkin.

2016

• Points per game: No. 88 (25.8 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 93 (377.8 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 106 (178.2 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 43 (199.5 yards per game)

2017

• Points per game: No. 100 (24.1 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 120 (323.3 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 116 (161.7 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 69 (161.7 yards per game)
  
  
  

• FLORIDA STATE (2018)​

  2018
  • Points per game: No. 113 (21.9 points per game)
  • Total offense: No. 103 (361.2 yards per game)
  • Passing offense: No. 28 (270.1 yards per game)
  • Rushing offense: No. 127 (91.1 yards per game)

UMASS (2019-21)​

At age 34, Bell became one of the youngest head coaches in the FBS when he took over at UMass following the 2018 campaign. In 2019 the Minutemen were the youngest FBS team in the nation.

In addition to his head coaching duties, Bell was also the offensive play caller in 2019 and 2021, but not in 2020 when he ceded those duties to Angelo Mirando.

2019

• Points per game: No. 118 (19.8 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 126 (293.1 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 117 (168.5 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 114 (124.6 yards per game)

2020 (4 games)

• Points per game: No. 127 (3.0 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 127 (187.5 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 123 (120.3 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 126 (67.25 yards per game)

2021

• Points per game: No. 126 (16.3 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 122 (299.7 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 123 (152.7 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 81 (147 yards per game)

Right. My point with the head to head is that Allen got into the nitty gritty of what Bell does with an offense as his opponent. I think the biggest question is: how well will the offensive staff get along and work together?

 

[vesuvius13]

I went back to the 2016 game in Bloomington, Allen's first as DC, and the 2017 game in College Park, Allen's first as HC/DC. Walt Bell was the OC in both games.

2016 Stats - IU 42, MD 36. Chrome helmet game at home. Maryland's QB threw 2 TD, 66% completion, rushed for 269. They had 517 total yards and were 3-3 on 4th down. IU had the two Kevins running the O, plus DMac as RB coach. 414(!) yards rushing.

2017 Stats - IU 39, MD 42. Maryland only had 18 first downs, 345 total yards, and had 133 yards in penalties working with several short fields. They gashed us through the air, almost 11 ypp. Rushing was 4.4 ypc.

According to this piece, which looks (maybe a little too) similar to this FSU press release, Bell had a first round draft pick at WR at Maryland.

Here's a clip with some speculation from FSU people about why he left FSU for UMass. Bell seems animated, energetic, and intense in the video clip. Maybe that's part of the appeal for CTA. These aren’t the first words I'd use to describe either Debord or Sheridan. Maybe CTA and Bell see some of themselves in each other.

Walt Bell didn’t come out of nowhere. Willie Taggart seems to be an important influence here. CTA was Willie Taggart's DC at South Florida and Taggart was HC at FSU when Bell was there. I wonder what Taggart told CTA about Bell and what CTA heard. Taggart also knows Hiller well since Hiller was his OL coach the year CTA was his DC.

Honestly, I have no clue how this will pan out. How well will DMac, Heard, Hiller, Wellman, and Bell like each other and work together as a team in player development, recruiting, and creating and installing an offensive system of plays that build off each other and can be executed at a high level by the players we have? How skilled is Bell at coaching quarterbacks? How will the group emphasize WR blocking? How will they run practices? Is this deliberately a short term thing, like Kane Wommack? Surely the rest of the offensive staff interviewed him. I'll still watch and hope that the Hoosiers win. For some reason, IU Football is a source of entertainment for me.

Good info and good reason need to give it a rest and wait to see how IU's offense works under him if he does become IU's OC.

 

[turney333]

Lets take a look at his overall yearly ranking as that gives the most data points. It appears that he was not terrible for only two years and that was at Arkansas State where the head coach was Blake Anderson who is the Utah State head coach that is throwing up a ton of points.

ARKANSAS STATE (2014-15)​

Bell’s first stint as a play caller came with the Red Wolves in the Sun Belt Conference. This is where he made a name for himself and became thought of as an offensive guru.

2014

• Points per game: No. 19 (36.6 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 20 (476.5 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 40 (260.1 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 27 (216.4 yards per game)

2015

• Points per game: No. 12 (40.0 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 37 (438.5 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 85 (207.2 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 15 (231.3 yards per game)

MARYLAND (2016-17)​

Bell went on to spend two seasons in the Big Ten East at Maryland where he was the play caller both years under head coach D.J. Durkin.

2016

• Points per game: No. 88 (25.8 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 93 (377.8 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 106 (178.2 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 43 (199.5 yards per game)

2017

• Points per game: No. 100 (24.1 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 120 (323.3 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 116 (161.7 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 69 (161.7 yards per game)
  
  
  

• FLORIDA STATE (2018)​

  2018
  • Points per game: No. 113 (21.9 points per game)
  • Total offense: No. 103 (361.2 yards per game)
  • Passing offense: No. 28 (270.1 yards per game)
  • Rushing offense: No. 127 (91.1 yards per game)

UMASS (2019-21)​

At age 34, Bell became one of the youngest head coaches in the FBS when he took over at UMass following the 2018 campaign. In 2019 the Minutemen were the youngest FBS team in the nation.

In addition to his head coaching duties, Bell was also the offensive play caller in 2019 and 2021, but not in 2020 when he ceded those duties to Angelo Mirando.

2019

• Points per game: No. 118 (19.8 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 126 (293.1 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 117 (168.5 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 114 (124.6 yards per game)

2020 (4 games)

• Points per game: No. 127 (3.0 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 127 (187.5 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 123 (120.3 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 126 (67.25 yards per game)

2021

• Points per game: No. 126 (16.3 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 122 (299.7 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 123 (152.7 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 81 (147 yards per game)

To be fair, Max Bortenschlager (3rd string true soph with only MAC offers out of HS) started the 9 of the last 10 games for Maryland in 2017 - Maryland even had to start a 4th stringer one game. When they had Pigrome their first game, they absolutely torched Texas, who despite not having a good year, had a very solid defense, ranked in top 10 in defensive efficiency.

 

[toastedbread]

I went back to the 2016 game in Bloomington, Allen's first as DC, and the 2017 game in College Park, Allen's first as HC/DC. Walt Bell was the OC in both games. (Clarification edit: CTA got to know Bell as his opponent in both game prep and during the game itself.)

2016 Stats - IU 42, MD 36. Chrome helmet game at home. Maryland's QB threw 2 TD, 66% completion, rushed for 269. They had 517 total yards and were 3-3 on 4th down. IU had the two Kevins running the O, plus DMac as RB coach. 414(!) yards rushing.

2017 Stats - IU 39, MD 42. Maryland only had 18 first downs, 345 total yards, and had 133 yards in penalties working with several short fields. They gashed us through the air, almost 11 ypp. Rushing was 4.4 ypc.

According to this piece, which looks (maybe a little too) similar to this FSU press release, Bell had a first round draft pick at WR at Maryland.

Here's a clip with some speculation from FSU people about why he left FSU for UMass. Bell seems animated, energetic, and intense in the video clip. Maybe that's part of the appeal for CTA. These aren’t the first words I'd use to describe either Debord or Sheridan. Maybe CTA and Bell see some of themselves in each other.

Walt Bell didn’t come out of nowhere. Willie Taggart seems to be an important influence here. CTA was Willie Taggart's DC at South Florida and Taggart was HC at FSU when Bell was there. I wonder what Taggart told CTA about Bell and what CTA heard. Taggart also knows Hiller well since Hiller was his OL coach the year CTA was his DC.

Honestly, I have no clue how this will pan out. How well will DMac, Heard, Hiller, Wellman, and Bell like each other and work together as a team in player development, recruiting, and creating and installing an offensive system of plays that build off each other and can be executed at a high level by the players we have? How skilled is Bell at coaching quarterbacks? How will the group emphasize WR blocking? How will they run practices? Is this deliberately a short term thing, like Kane Wommack? Surely the rest of the offensive staff interviewed him. I'll still watch and hope that the Hoosiers win. For some reason, IU Football is a source of entertainment for me.

There is something to be said about finding a way to win. DeBoer was a winner at all levels. Allen just went 2-10 and hired a 2-23 coach who was a big time loser. It's almost unfathomable to me that you go 2-10 and hire someone who flat out stunk and would not be a viable candidate except in the Sun Belt conference. And you give this guy a raise? Just because he is now coaching at IU? Is this really the best you can do? IU is the laughing stock. Laughed at by UMASS fans who can't believe anyone is stupid enough to hire this loser.

As for Willie Taggart, he's at FAU now and has burned down in a couple short years what Lane Kiffin built. He is one of the worst coaches in the business and I imagine he will be permanently unemployable at the D1 head coach level after FAU eventually cans him. If TA is relying on Taggart for advice, IU is in even worse shape than anyone can imagine. Further, Piller is still on the staff. He would have been fired before Sheridan in my book. His o-line product has been bad before Sheridan was in charge. And arguably, the o-line performed even worse than the o as a whole. Possibly the worst o-line year I've watched in my time watching college football. Nearly had 3 QBs killed.

 

[RegionHoosiers]

There is something to be said about finding a way to win. DeBoer was a winner at all levels. Allen just went 2-10 and hired a 2-23 coach who was a big time loser. It's almost unfathomable to me that you go 2-10 and hire someone who flat out stunk and would not be a viable candidate except in the Sun Belt conference. And you give this guy a raise? Just because he is now coaching at IU? Is this really the best you can do? IU is the laughing stock. Laughed at by UMASS fans who can't believe anyone is stupid enough to hire this loser.

As for Willie Taggart, he's at FAU now and has burned down in a couple short years what Lane Kiffin built. He is one of the worst coaches in the business and I imagine he will be permanently unemployable at the D1 head coach level after FAU eventually cans him. If TA is relying on Taggart for advice, IU is in even worse shape than anyone can imagine. Further, Piller is still on the staff. He would have been fired before Sheridan in my book. His o-line product has been bad before Sheridan was in charge. And arguably, the o-line performed even worse than the o as a whole. Possibly the worst o-line year I've watched in my time watching college football. Nearly had 3 QBs killed.

I'd guess this is what most people, including recruits, are seeing.

 

[sparkeyreturns]

Good info and good reason need to give it a rest and wait to see how IU's offense works under him if he does become IU's OC.

That makes zero sense. After looking at his total failure as a coach how do you come away with a "wait and see" approach?

 

[sparkeyreturns]

Right. My point with the head to head is that Allen got into the nitty gritty of what Bell does with an offense as his opponent. I think the biggest question is: how well will the offensive staff get along and work together?

That makes zero sense. So I guess Ohio State should hire Sheridan as their offensive coordinator because one game his offense put up a ton of yards?

 

[Coach Geez]

Lets take a look at his overall yearly ranking as that gives the most data points. It appears that he was not terrible for only two years and that was at Arkansas State where the head coach was Blake Anderson who is the Utah State head coach that is throwing up a ton of points.

ARKANSAS STATE (2014-15)​

Bell’s first stint as a play caller came with the Red Wolves in the Sun Belt Conference. This is where he made a name for himself and became thought of as an offensive guru.

2014

• Points per game: No. 19 (36.6 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 20 (476.5 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 40 (260.1 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 27 (216.4 yards per game)

2015

• Points per game: No. 12 (40.0 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 37 (438.5 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 85 (207.2 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 15 (231.3 yards per game)

MARYLAND (2016-17)​

Bell went on to spend two seasons in the Big Ten East at Maryland where he was the play caller both years under head coach D.J. Durkin.

2016

• Points per game: No. 88 (25.8 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 93 (377.8 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 106 (178.2 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 43 (199.5 yards per game)

2017

• Points per game: No. 100 (24.1 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 120 (323.3 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 116 (161.7 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 69 (161.7 yards per game)
  
  
  

• FLORIDA STATE (2018)​

  2018
  • Points per game: No. 113 (21.9 points per game)
  • Total offense: No. 103 (361.2 yards per game)
  • Passing offense: No. 28 (270.1 yards per game)
  • Rushing offense: No. 127 (91.1 yards per game)

UMASS (2019-21)​

At age 34, Bell became one of the youngest head coaches in the FBS when he took over at UMass following the 2018 campaign. In 2019 the Minutemen were the youngest FBS team in the nation.

In addition to his head coaching duties, Bell was also the offensive play caller in 2019 and 2021, but not in 2020 when he ceded those duties to Angelo Mirando.

2019

• Points per game: No. 118 (19.8 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 126 (293.1 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 117 (168.5 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 114 (124.6 yards per game)

2020 (4 games)

• Points per game: No. 127 (3.0 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 127 (187.5 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 123 (120.3 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 126 (67.25 yards per game)

2021

• Points per game: No. 126 (16.3 points per game)
• Total offense: No. 122 (299.7 yards per game)
• Passing offense: No. 123 (152.7 yards per game)
• Rushing offense: No. 81 (147 yards per game)

Hard to argue against the numbers, but they don't always tell the entire story. I know while at Maryland he lost not one, but two starting QB's to injury. Going to be tough to win anywhere let alone the B10 with a 3rd string QB as we all saw this fall.

Florida State again is tough to judge as well. Was named OC in Taggart's inaugural year at FSU. This regime was replacing Jimbo Fisher who left for Texas A&M in the middle of the night leaving the program in a pretty bad state that was already on the steady decline that hasn't ever recovered since. FSU rode with Deondre Francois at QB who was highly rated coming out of high school coming off a pretty significant injury he suffered in the opening game against Alabama the year before and was clearly never the same. Really tough to gauge an OC in a newly implemented offense with players none of the current staff had recruited.

I have no idea how or why he ended up at UMass, but all things considered probably a career suicide move. At 34 walking into the worst coaching job in FBS football wouldn't end well for anybody. UMass is an independent school, no conference revenue share that struggles to play a real schedule. Couple that with the pandemic happening and it's not a shocker that his time at UMass was brief. UMass cancelled their entire 2020 season initially, later balked, and played a 4 game with 2-3 weeks in-between games.

I far less concerned with Bell's record at UMass than I am with the kind of offense he can run and his ability to recruit. That will ultimately determine the success or failure of this hire. I agree that on the surface this is a meh hire but time will only tell.

 

[sparkeyreturns]

Hard to argue against the numbers, but they don't always tell the entire story. I know while at Maryland he lost not one, but two starting QB's to injury. Going to be tough to win anywhere let alone the B10 with a 3rd string QB as we all saw this fall.

Florida State again is tough to judge as well. Was named OC in Taggart's inaugural year at FSU. This regime was replacing Jimbo Fisher who left for Texas A&M in the middle of the night leaving the program in a pretty bad state that was already on the steady decline that hasn't ever recovered since. FSU rode with Deondre Francois at QB who was highly rated coming out of high school coming off a pretty significant injury he suffered in the opening game against Alabama the year before and was clearly never the same. Really tough to gauge an OC in a newly implemented offense with players none of the current staff had recruited.

I have no idea how or why he ended up at UMass, but all things considered probably a career suicide move. At 34 walking into the worst coaching job in FBS football wouldn't end well for anybody. UMass is an independent school, no conference revenue share that struggles to play a real schedule. Couple that with the pandemic happening and it's not a shocker that his time at UMass was brief. UMass cancelled their entire 2020 season initially, later balked, and played a 4 game with 2-3 weeks in-between games.

I far less concerned with Bell's record at UMass than I am with the kind of offense he can run and his ability to recruit. That will ultimately determine the success or failure of this hire. I agree that on the surface this is a meh hire but time will only tell.

So if we cant judge him on Maryland, due to injuries, and cant judge him on Florida State due to Willie Taggart, and cant judge him at Umass because it's Umass then what info did they base the hiring on? His two years at Arkansas State where he was not even the Offensive Coordinator but Co-Offensive Coordinator both years?

This is literally the most insane hire ever. Simply baffling.

 

[turney333]

There is something to be said about finding a way to win. DeBoer was a winner at all levels. Allen just went 2-10 and hired a 2-23 coach who was a big time loser. It's almost unfathomable to me that you go 2-10 and hire someone who flat out stunk and would not be a viable candidate except in the Sun Belt conference. And you give this guy a raise? Just because he is now coaching at IU? Is this really the best you can do? IU is the laughing stock. Laughed at by UMASS fans who can't believe anyone is stupid enough to hire this loser.

As for Willie Taggart, he's at FAU now and has burned down in a couple short years what Lane Kiffin built. He is one of the worst coaches in the business and I imagine he will be permanently unemployable at the D1 head coach level after FAU eventually cans him. If TA is relying on Taggart for advice, IU is in even worse shape than anyone can imagine. Further, Piller is still on the staff. He would have been fired before Sheridan in my book. His o-line product has been bad before Sheridan was in charge. And arguably, the o-line performed even worse than the o as a whole. Possibly the worst o-line year I've watched in my time watching college football. Nearly had 3 QBs killed.

Actually, DeBoer hasn't been a winner on all levels. He had a fantastic run at Sioux Falls, but had taken over a program in good shape, although he did elevate it.

However, his time at SIU was not good. He took a top 10 FCS offense the year before he arrived and it got worse every year and had a bottom 20 offense his last year. During his time there, SIU was a sub .500 team.

He then went to EMU, which went 2-20 in his first 2 years there. The offense took a step back his first year and only got it to slightly better than before he arrived in his second year. He did then have a bit of a break through in year 3.

He then had 2 very good years at Fresno before coming to IU, although that was also in conjunction with partnering with a pretty solid offensive guy in Tedford

 

[Coach Geez]

So if we cant judge him on Maryland, due to injuries, and cant judge him on Florida State due to Willie Taggart, and cant judge him at Umass because it's Umass then what info did they base the hiring on? His two years at Arkansas State where he was not even the Offensive Coordinator but Co-Offensive Coordinator both years?

This is literally the most insane hire ever. Simply baffling.

Settle down Rusty. Never said you couldn't judge Bell, rather raw numbers don't tell the entire story.

 

[vesuvius13]

That makes zero sense. After looking at his total failure as a coach how do you come away with a "wait and see" approach?

I can do that because we have no other alternative. I also disregard the UMass years as it was a terrible job to take especially for a young coach. Tell me what you can do besides take a wait and see approach - I mean what can you change with a different approach.

I am not happy with the selection of Bell but I also don't know who turned IU down before hiring Bell. People act as if Bell was the target along and we don't know that. Therefore, I see no other approach than to wait and see how Bell does at IU. As much as I like coach Allen at IU, he is the one that will suffer if Bell is a bad hire.

 

[Cap99]

Georgia Tech went out and got a Broyles award winning OC in Chip Long. Nebraska got the OC responsible for one of the best offenses this year in Whipple. We got CTA’s buddy with no track record of success whatsoever.

 

[sparkeyreturns]

I went back to the 2016 game in Bloomington, Allen's first as DC, and the 2017 game in College Park, Allen's first as HC/DC. Walt Bell was the OC in both games. (Clarification edit: CTA got to know Bell as his opponent in both game prep and during the game itself.)

2016 Stats - IU 42, MD 36. Chrome helmet game at home. Maryland's QB threw 2 TD, 66% completion, rushed for 269. They had 517 total yards and were 3-3 on 4th down. IU had the two Kevins running the O, plus DMac as RB coach. 414(!) yards rushing.

2017 Stats - IU 39, MD 42. Maryland only had 18 first downs, 345 total yards, and had 133 yards in penalties working with several short fields. They gashed us through the air, almost 11 ypp. Rushing was 4.4 ypc.

According to this piece, which looks (maybe a little too) similar to this FSU press release, Bell had a first round draft pick at WR at Maryland.

Here's a clip with some speculation from FSU people about why he left FSU for UMass. Bell seems animated, energetic, and intense in the video clip. Maybe that's part of the appeal for CTA. These aren’t the first words I'd use to describe either Debord or Sheridan. Maybe CTA and Bell see some of themselves in each other.

Walt Bell didn’t come out of nowhere. Willie Taggart seems to be an important influence here. CTA was Willie Taggart's DC at South Florida and Taggart was HC at FSU when Bell was there. I wonder what Taggart told CTA about Bell and what CTA heard. Taggart also knows Hiller well since Hiller was his OL coach the year CTA was his DC.

Honestly, I have no clue how this will pan out. How well will DMac, Heard, Hiller, Wellman, and Bell like each other and work together as a team in player development, recruiting, and creating and installing an offensive system of plays that build off each other and can be executed at a high level by the players we have? How skilled is Bell at coaching quarterbacks? How will the group emphasize WR blocking? How will they run practices? Is this deliberately a short term thing, like Kane Wommack? Surely the rest of the offensive staff interviewed him. I'll still watch and hope that the Hoosiers win. For some reason, IU Football is a source of entertainment for me.

Willie taggart is a a trash coach. Who gives a goddamn what that idiot thinks.

 

[Pazhoosier85]

Georgia Tech went out and got a Broyles award winning OC in Chip Long. Nebraska got the OC responsible for one of the best offenses this year in Whipple. We got CTA’s buddy with no track record of success whatsoever.

Where do you get they were buddies? They had never crossed paths as coaches together. The only thing they have in common is they both coached under Taggart at some point.