University of Connecticut Athletics
From Montreal to Storrs - Malcolm Bell Growing into Success for the Huskies
10/21/2022 11:05:00 AM | Football
The football environment in Montreal, Quebec might not be very familiar to many college football fans, but for UConn sophomore defensive back Malcolm Bell, he's seen it first-hand.
"It's a different level. People play faster. People are more physical. The field is way smaller so you have to hit a little bit more," said Bell.
Even though the game might have looked slightly different, the level of competition that Bell at Clarkson Football North High School in Mississauga, Ontario prepared him for the rigors of the 2022 schedule he and the Huskies have faced; a slate that's included matchups against nationally ranked programs from Utah State, Syracuse, Michigan and North Carolina State.
Bell described his journey to UConn as a difficult one. To compete against players around the world for a spot on an FBS roster, he had to have "more dog" than his opponents. Overlooked by some FBS teams, despite having the talent to make the jump to the Division I level, many college recruiters weren't familiar with the level of competition in Canada compared to American high schools. The COVID-19 pandemic threw another wrench in the recruiting process due to the difficulty of getting players safely across the Canadian border during the health crisis.
The challenges that Bell faced ignited a spark to prove that he had the skill to compete at the highest level of college football. The doubt fueled him even more and when he finally got the opportunity to go to UConn, he was ready to show what he had.
Once in Storrs, Bell saw the Burton Family Football Complex and stared in awe at the state of the art facility. He walked the amazing campus in Storrs, and those little moments helped him remember why he chose UConn as his choice. "When I came, I was really surprised by everything, especially not knowing where Connecticut. Walking around like a kid and a tourist just looking at the facilities and everything, I was surprised," said Bell.
While 2021 was a redshirt year for Bell, he looked to have a redemption season in 2022. It was also an opportunity to learn under a new coaching staff led by newly appointed head coach Jim Mora, who knows more than a thing or two about defense, serving as defensive backs coach for the then San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers.
While he wasn't familiar with Mora initially, the UConn DB quickly learned that the new UConn coach was a man he wanted to play for. "I was only hoping for the best," said Bell. "The Husky Revolution, he was talking about it but, as you can see, he's putting it on. He's not just talking about the Husky Revolution. You can see all the change that he did for us to get better and better."
The long practices and what the team describes as "Zero Dark Friday", an early morning military-style workout that had players waking up at 6 am, showed Bell that this was a coach who was going to push you to be the very best version of yourself. This was a coach that didn't have time for players who didn't want to put in the work. He is a man that wants his players to show grit, energy and strength on every play
"You know he's not going to let you be mediocre. He's not going to let you be average. He doesn't have time for that. He's a winner, so he's going to make sure that you know you have to win. At the end of the day, everything you do in life is all about winning. Don't get me wrong, a loss is good because you learn more from a loss. He always tells us that. At the end of the day, you learn more from a loss than a win," said Bell.
Winning is an attitude that transcends the entire coaching staff. From Coach Mora to defensive backs coach Dalton Hilliard, UConn's new coaching staff is pushing that attitude to its players and Bell has loved every bit of it. He's loved the moments where coaches have been hard on him for little mistakes during practice. The tough love, Bell says, is a sign from the coaches that they truly care about you.
The work that Bell has put in has resulted in progress and one of the many things he credits Coach Hilliard with helping him improve on is his technique. "Before, I was known as a raw and athletic player, but now my technique just keeps getting better. I'm starting to look like a real corner," said Bell.
Leading up to last week's game at Ball State, the redshirt freshman was getting increased playing time due to the injury of sophomore defensive back Kaleb Anthony. From redshirting his freshman season to the bigger role he plays now, Bell has taken pride with the progression he's made during his college football career.
"When I get the chance to play, I'm going to show them what they missed out on," says Bell. "I'm just going to show them that this year is a redeem year for me. This year, I'm showing them everything that they missed out on."
Last Saturday's game at Ball State felt like the culmination of Bell's work. He finished with nine total tackles and was a big part of the team's defensive efforts despite the loss. Despite the career outing from the UConn defensive back, Bell knows that it's the standard he's expected to meet when he walks out on the field with his team every game.
Now, the work continues for Bell and the UConn defense during the program's bye week. What's the key for the team to remain confident and successful throughout UConn's remaining schedule? UConn's redshirt freshman defensive back says that it's to remember your why. "Right now, we're in a situation where no loss is affordable," said Bell. "Coming into this bye week, we have to rest our bodies and get our mind and body right. But, at the end of the day, we know the situation we're in right now."
With four games left on this year's schedule, Bell will continue to take pride in representing his home country of Canada on the field. He knows that when he steps on the field in front of a national TV audience, a young football player from Montreal could be watching, just like he was during his childhood.
"When I got my chance here, I understood what it meant because I used to be the younger one looking up to those guys," said Bell about other Canadian FBS players aspiring to make it to the next level. "Every day, I make sure that when I go on the field, I perform for those kids because at the end of the day, when they see on the TV and they can say, 'Well, this guy is playing well and he's not from there. He's from where I'm from and he's on the other side of the border balling.' The sky is only the limit from there."Â
