During practice in fall camp, it was easy to see the change.
He looked stronger, muscling guys out of the way on his runs up the middle. He looked faster, beating the defense to the corner of the end zone on stretch runs. He looked durable, taking the most reps of any running back during camp.
It seems an extended off-season has done Kahlil Bell some good.
The running back missed the last six games of last season (four to an ankle injury and the final two because of suspension for team rules) and now appears hungry to be back on the field.
“My focus was just on getting back,” Bell said. “I couldn’t help the team unless I was out there on the field. Now it’s summer, but fall’s coming. It’s time to get ready to play.”
Bell has translated that attitude into a successful camp. With the coaches giving first string running back Chris Markey reduced reps during camp in order to save his legs for the season, Bell saw more action than any other tailback in camp. And his teammates and coaches have been impressed by what he has shown in the extended reps.
“Kahlil, man, just seeing him now from last year, he’s made huge strides,” Markey said. “I give him the most credit in the world. He really took the off-season to get better; he looks like a totally different player.”
Coming into UCLA, Bell looked more like a fullback than anything, and had the speed to go with that position. Now, in the eyes of the coaches, he has turned himself into more of a multi-dimensional runner.
“Kahlil’s done a great job of building his body,” running backs coach Dino Babers said. “With his new speed, he’s become a legitimate breakaway tailback.”
Whether or not he can truly be a breakaway threat, the Bruins will need both Bell and Markey to maintain their health this year. Depth at running back has become a huge concern for the Bruins. Due to injuries to Raymond Carter and Chane Moline, and the medical retirement of Derrick Williams, UCLA is in the position that the third running back on the depth chart, Christian Ramirez, is a safety who was converted to running back in the final week of fall camp.
“(Markey and Bell) are going to have to be the dynamic duo,” Babers said.
Neither is a true home run threat from the backfield, but if both can be durable and consistent, it would go a long way toward making this offense more efficient than last season’s.