Cats and Hawks extend offers to Bell
Junior to Watch: Odell Bell
School: Wichita (Kan.) Northwest
Advertisement
Position: Running Back
Size and Speed: Bell is 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds. He has been timed in the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds.
Statistics: Bell rushed for over 1,300 yards as a sophomore in 2001 at Wichita's North High School. As a junior, he rushed for over 700 yards in limited action due to an ankle injury.
Favorite Schools: Bell currently has scholarship offers from Kansas and Kansas State. He is also gaining attention from Wyoming, Missouri and Oklahoma State.
Skinny: Northwest coach Weston Schartz came from West High School two years ago to take over the Northwest program. Shortly after he arrived, he received some good news. Odell Bell decided to transfer to Northwest from West and continue his prep career under Schartz.
"Odell actually lives in the Northwest district," Schartz said. "So, he didn't have to sit out any time by changing schools."
The change of schools didn't slow Bell down, but an ankle injury did.
"He tore some ligaments in his ankle early in our season last fall," Schartz said. "After that we'd play him a game and then sit him for two so he could heal up. He ended up playing five games for us last year."
In those five games, Bell managed to rush for just over 700 yards.
"He played well when he was able to go. Our team was different with him out there."
The injury has healed and schools are taking notice of the talented athlete's highlight films.
"Kansas State and Kansas have offered him already. Wyoming has said they will be offering. Oklahoma State and Missouri are going to before long. He's going to be a good player."
Bell will try and hit a few of the one-day football camps in the area this summer.
"Odell has to take a math class this summer for his core classes. But, he is going to go to K-State, Missouri and one other camp this summer. The cost on the week-long ones is prohibitive to some kids. But he'll get around to a few of the short ones."