Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
The Oklahoma Sooners were very successful last season using the “Belldozer” package around the goal line with backup quarterback Blake Bell. Bell is going to take over the starting quarterback position this season with the graduation of Landry Jones. It is time for Bell to show what he can do as a starter instead of a player in a gimmick formation every time the team was near the end zone.
Bell only threw the ball 16 times last season with nine completions and 107 passing yards. There are going to be people who look at the fact he scored 11 touchdowns on the ground and see a quarterback who can run. This is a case where you can’t just look at the statistics and go by that.
Bell is a big quarterback at 6-6 and 254 pounds and is built like a linebacker. I don’t expect Bell to be pounding his way down the field with his legs this season for the Sooners. They will need him to throw the ball 450 times and have more than 4,000 yards through the air.
I will be curious to see how that transition goes but it is something that fans need to watch for as this season unfolds. Oklahoma averaged over 336 yards through the air last year with Jones. It is those kinds of numbers that Bell needs to come down to matching if the Sooners want to improve on a 10-3 season last year. The team has four of their first five games at home which should allow for Bell to get comfortable with his new position. Oklahoma could find themselves in the BCS Championship race if the Belldozer plows through the opposition again.
Andy Schmidt is a columnist/writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @ASchmidtSports, like his Facebook page or add him to your network on Google.
