The football gurus said Blake Bell’s performance against Tulsa gave him a pass efficiency rating of 202.4.
I don’t know what the heck that means. But, I don’t need any football stat to tell me that Oklahoma has found their quarterback.
No disrespect to Trevor Knight — he’s the future (and a bright one indeed, regardless of his shaky start in the first two games of this season) — but Bell’s 27 of 37 passes for 413 yards in the air and 24 yards of effective scrambling, won him the job.
More importantly, Bell looked comfortable and leader-like in the Sooners 51-20 win over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
This should come as no surprise. Bell has been on Owen Field enough the last two years as the “Bell Dozer” — always in pressured situations in the red zone (remember his game-tying TD in Bedlam last year that gave the Sooners the opportunity to win in overtime?).
Bell may have gotten his first start against Tulsa, but he’s no newbie. No redshirt freshman. No kid wet behind the ears. He’s a veteran. And veteran quarterbacks step up to win ballgames.
Bell may have gotten his first start against Tulsa, but he’s no newbie. No redshirt freshman. No kid wet behind the ears. He’s a veteran. And veteran quarterbacks step up to win ballgames.
Just the guy the Sooners need to get some revenge on September 28 in South Bend, Indiana.
“It was awesome,” Bell said. “I had a great time first of all, just getting out there and playing ball, there’s nothing better. . The only thing I wanted to do was be ready. I didn’t want to not be ready for this game. I felt like I did that. I felt like I played well out there.”
Sooners Coach Bob Stoops, in what might best be described as a “well, duh” moment during his post-game press conference, was asked if Bell had won the job and would start against Notre Dame.
“That’s pretty obvious,” Stoops said. “So much for your controversy right now. It didn’t last long. You can’t deny what he just went out and did. I’m proud of him and excited for him. It also speaks to his character. Here’s a guy that was ready for it — never got down, never changed his attitude. He got his chance and he took great advantage of it.”
Sooner fans always think the best quarterback is the one the coaches are not playing. The guy on the bench probably has more fans than any starting QB. It’s a part of the Sooner tradition. Heck, I remember when fans wanted to bench Bobby Warmack in 1969 for some guy collecting splinters on the bench. (Yeah, I know that makes me an old fart).
Anyway, Bell became that backup when the coaching staff selected Knight, a redshirt freshman, over Bell to start this 2013 season.
Bell was already the player fans expected to inherit the quarterback spot after Landry Jones’ graduation, because of his role as the Bell Dozer in red zone and shirt yardage situations the past two seasons. But, with Knight’s injury during the West Virginia game, Bell steps into the starting job from the bench.
The fans have their guy. And if Saturday is any indication, it’s a pretty good choice.
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