Chris Bell Having a 'Great' Spring Ball for Louisville

The third year wide receiver for the Cardinals has been having a phenomenal spring practice.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As the Louisville football program goes through spring ball in preparation for their 2024 season later this year, it appears that the Cardinals are going to have a lot more consistant options in the passing game than they had last season.

Ja'Corey Brooks and Caullin Lacy are two highly-regarded transfer wide receivers that should have an immediate impact right out of the gates this fall. Returner Jamari Johnson plus transfers Mark Redman and Jaleel Skinner are two tight ends that will help the position be an actual factor in the passing game. Returning wideout Jadon Thompson has also taken step forward the spring after injuries hampered him last season.

That being said, one player that doesn't seem to be getting talked enough in regards to their potential in the passing game in year two under head coach Jeff Brohm is wide receiver Chris Bell. In fact, with just one week left of spring practice, Bell was someone who Brohm mentioned by name as having a "great" spring ball for the Cards.

"Without question, Chris Bell has had a great camp," Brohm said this past Friday. "He's really made a lot of plays, and we're going to need him to be a force for us."

The Yazoo City, Miss. native had a minimal role during his true freshman campaign in 2022 - the final year of the Scott Satterfield era - catching seven passes for 105 yards. When Brohm came to town, like everyone else on the team, he had to learn a brand new system.

However, Bell had to miss the first spring ball under Brohm due to a torn labrum, and wasn't cleared until a few days before the start of fall camp. While Bell Had plenty of time to learn the playbook during the spring and summer, for him, things didn't truly start to click until that fall.

"It started to click for me when I actually came back for fall camp, and I'm having the meetings then going out there actually practicing," Bell said. "It took me to make those mistakes over and over again to actually learn it. When the season came, everything just clicked for me. It's like, I don't know how it happened, but it clicked, and I just knew the playbook and offense."

While All-ACC receiver Jamari Thrash was the focal point of Louisville's passing attack last season, Bell quietly put together a noteworthy 2023 campaign. In fact, he finished second to Thrash on the team in catches and receiving yards with 29 for 407, respectively, as well as a pair of touchdown receptions.

Fast forward to the present, and Bell has been using what he learned last season to turn heads in the spring. At 6-foot-2 and 220-pounds, Bell is one of the more physical wide receivers on the roster, and has made several plays in contested coverage at all areas of the field.

"I'm a big body guy," Bell said. "I feel like I bring that fire. Instead of the defense hitting me, I go hit the defense. I'm a contested catch catcher, I like catching contested passes. I also can get down the field. I got speed, too."

Like Bell eluded to, he has taken a noticeable step forward in spring ball in terms of his footwork, agility and overall speed. Bell's route running looks much improved from what we saw last season, and he can run with some of the faster players on the roster as well.

"He's big and strong and physical, but he's just as fast as the little guys," wide receivers coach Garrick McGee said. "He's just a different athlete."

On top of improving from an athleticism standpoint and making strides in terms of his understanding of the offensive scheme, McGee has also been impressed with the steps forward that Bell has taken in terms of his maturity and his leadership at the position. McGee does think that Bell is still a "work in progress" in terms of controlling his emotions, but he praises the overall progress that Bell has made.

"His first year, he didn't play much," McGee said. "Last year, that was his first time being out there (as a full-time player). Understanding the day to day preparations that go into the season and winning games. How you take care of your body, how you study things, then ultimately how you have to go compete and control your emotions."

"Now, he's a third year player, but a second year full-time player. We can see his maturity. He's the leader. He's not wandering. He doesn't have Thrash and Ahmari (Huggins-Bruce) - guys that he looked up to. He's the big dog now, and we can see that with the way he handles himself. He's still a work in progress when it comes to handling himself emotionally. He can get mad if someone hits him the wrong way. He can get mad and start playing a very violent style of football. But he's a leader now."

Louisville will cap off spring ball with their annual spring game on Friday, Apr. 19. Kickoff from L&N Stadium is set for 7:00 p.m. EST.

(Photo of Chris Bell: Clare Grant - Courier Journal / USA TODAY)

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