RADNOR — Brendan Bell did his campaigning, for sure, but his persuasiveness wasn’t what won over Mark Ferrante.
In his fifth year at Villanova, the linebacker’s defensive value is beyond question. But the New Jersey native put the bug in the coaching staff’s ear all year that if they needed a little spark on offense, maybe the former quarterback at Ridge High School could be the man for the job.
Circumstance and opportunity have met for Bell, and the Wildcats are better for it.
Bell has two carries and two rushing touchdowns this season for Villanova. And while he’s not exactly the Main Line’s answer to Colorado’s two-way Heisman favorite Travis Hunter, his offensive contributions have proven vital to a Villanova team embarking on the FCS playoffs this week against Eastern Kentucky.
“Personally, I love both sides of the ball, so five years not playing offense kind of hurt,” Bell said Saturday after the Wildcats’ win over Delaware. “And getting back feels good now. I can’t decide whether coach calls my name or not, but if he doesn’t, I’m going to block my heart off. And if he gives me the ball, I’m going to get in the end zone.”
Bell has long been a cornerstone of Villanova’s defense, helping the program reach the FCS playoffs in three of his five seasons (one of which was a COVID-affected spring campaign in 2021). He’s collected 261 tackles over 50 starts, including double-digit tackles for loss each of the last two seasons. He had 4.5 tackles for loss in just the late October win over New Hampshire.
His offensive forays haven’t been frivolous attempts to reward a good soldier. They’ve been integral contributions in the second halves of one-score games. The debut came Nov. 2 at Hampton, Bell’s four-yard TD in the third quarter the eventual winner in a 20-14 decision.
Saturday against Delaware, Bell became the first Villanova player in the program’s recorded history to score a touchdown on both sides of the ball. He returned a first-quarter interception 38 yards to the house. Then with 7:38 remaining, he took an inside handoff and dashed six yards untouched to the end zone, the final points of a 38-28 decision in the Battle of the Blue.
Bell has filled a niche borne of Villanova’s roster reality. With 92 players, Ferrante doesn’t recruit fullbacks. Tight ends can generally handle the blocking part of that role, but the Wildcats have suffered a glut of injuries at that position. Saturday’s adversity included not just a half-dozen defensive starters going out at one juncture or another but also lead back David Avit, who rushed for a first-quarter touchdown, getting banged up.
In need of personnel in certain packages, Ferrante has assessed his options over recent weeks. If the decision is between a young, inexperienced player who fits the position or someone like Bell, who can understand the scheme and handle the physical task with a little preparation, Ferrante is going to trust the upperclassman to go make a football play.
“He’s a 6-2, 230-pound linebacker that is kind of fullback size, but he’s a really good athlete,” Ferrante said. “He can catch it, he can throw it, he can obviously run with it. So that’s kind of where it came from. We just need some goal-line, short-yardage personnel, and we ran out of some of those pieces on the offensive side of the ball.”
Bell won’t be featured prominently in the offense any time soon. He’s still at two carries for the season and a few more lead blocks thrown. He also has one reception for zero yards and a solitary punt return in 2021. He’s not the only defender forced into a new role: His touchdown run included fellow linebacker Jordan Nelson and two defensive linemen on the field for extra muscle near the goal line.
But Bell will keep stating his case. “He complains all the time that he’s not involved,” quarterback Connor Watkins said. And if his number is called, there’s no question about him delivering everything he can.
“It’s kind of sweet now,” Bell said. “Five years have accumulated, and in the biggest game, it paid off.”
