Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Bell "Surprised, By JOHNNY BOGGS Asst. Sports Editor Take the very best football knowledge anyone can have, put it together with a charming personality and add plenty of frails and dressings of compliments and you have Richard Bell. <r Bell has been busy with recruiting since taking office last week. USC announced Jan. 10 that the former assistant coach and defensive coordinator for the Gamecocks had been hired as head football coach with a four-year contract at $50,000 per season. Bell began his football career as an offensive and defensive end at the University of Arkansas in the late 1950s. He had assistant coaching stints at VMI, Georgia Tech, West Virginia and Texas Tech before coming to South Carolina. It was at Georgia Tech where Bell met Jim Carlen, former USC ! _ head football coach and athletic director, where both were j assistant coaches, and the latter offered Bell an assistant's job when Carlen became head coach at West Virginia, and later Texas Tech and USC. Bell admitted that the weeks before the announcement was ! made that he would take over Carlen's position, he and his family went through some emotional "highs and lows." "There were some times of question and all," he said. "We had tremendous people support throughout the state which was very meaningful to us. We had planned that regardless of the outcome we'd be very pleased and this would be a time in our life that we would always remember." The 44-year-old native of Little Rock, Ark. added that he I was a little bit surprised when he found out he was to be coach. "I don't know how you describe all your emotions," he j said. "Surprised, excited, you know. 1 "Then you feel also for the responsibility that goes with it." , he added. "You're not just responsible for an area. You're responsible for 95 players and how they handle themselves both on and off the field. You don't just have the respon^ sibility of you wife and your family, but you have the ijpUNDEE^ txcited' To Be IN responsibility of about 10 coaches and their wives and their added I families." timewi Bell said he does not think the controversy during the past He e> months with Carlen's dismissal and USC Women's and I k Basketball Coach Pam Parsons' resignation will be a factor will do. with recruiting. our ass "What people are looking for now is not what happened in "I w< the past but what is going to happen from now on," he stated, want to "The question is what type of program will Carolina continue to be ah to have. Who is Richard Bell and what does he stand for? What are his philosophies in the game and what are his ideas "I kn to the relationships of people? I think that's the biggest are fea nnnnnrn " - V.VHV.C1 u, ^ onensn definite His philosophy toward coaching is that he treats the players as human beings. "I want them to know that I care P ^' for them personally and that caring is not based on how many ggjj { tackles they make or how many touchdowns they score, but assista an just who they are as individuals. "You "I don't think there are too many people smarter that w' anybody else in this game at this time," he added. "I think the sen: basically this game is won because you communicate better and you motivate better." , J don't li it, but i ne aennes motivation as "putting into words ana snowing can retl the players that you care and I think that they respond to that. fa] kick off Another one of his philosophies is: "No one coaches or AndE plays for me; they coach and play with me. To me, that's the big difference." About the upcoming football season, Bell commented, "I think we'll approach the game in a very positive way. We'll be imaginative on offense and defense. It still gets back in my C mind to blocking and tackling. You've just got to block and tackle better than the other team and if you do that you w _ usually win the game." lj! After serving as a defensive coordinator for so many years I* Bell wants to be involved in both offense and defense, but , _ I In fact, we'll even pay you $5 ^f-STOUROnT I H paying for your full tuition. ' ' v-'l II II II | It's all nart of thp ArmpH _ _ _,i C OI /^V^n II ' How does it work? jflO jMLv-A^I I 51 rag If you're selected for a P Jjl BH Air Force?you're commissio While you're in school, y Bj ! i HS serve three or more years, th ^ - [ ! Service selected and years c [ I As an Armed Forces phy [ You'll also see a diversity of p | | sophisticated medical techni ~ OH But most important, whil [ For more information, send ir J j m Yes, I am interested in receiv Professions Scholarship I unc | i I For more information mail this ' B Armed Forces Scholarships, F 1 Check up to three: Army[l Name foj Address k ! , City- ? Slate H Enrolled at* I j To graduate m' EBS1 lH (Month. Year) lamed Coach :hat in his first year he would probably spend more th the offense. ;plained, "I need to get the detail lined out in my mind now those on defense. In other words I know what we T l/nmn MiUnt T 1 Af T ? 11 ! -^ ' i rvjiv/w w iidL jl ilium 13 gWU. U1 UWUI"StJ, 1 Will IISICII 10 istants. ?nt to sit down with our offensive staff and I really be involved in there to be an advantage to myself and le to help them," he added. ow things that have hurt our defense. Whether they sible to use, I'll have to sit down and talk with our re staff," Bell continued. "I think I have some very ideas and I think I know what our offense needs. I t know all the details about how to call an offensive u i ao Know now our defense will react to it." aid he is having to make an adjustment from being an nt coach to being a head coach. get ready for the football and I love football," he said, lat you don't get ready for is the demand on time, in se of answering letters and answering the telephone. probably down 200 calls," he said with a laugh. "I Ice to sit on something that should be done and not do t almost overwhelms you because there is no way you .n OftA ;n J-.. ?? ji ii tana in unc uay. as football is concerned, though. Bell said, "If they'd tomorrow, I'd be ready." tell probably means every word. Thursday In amecock Sports: r t * ? vomen s Kugby, ^atrina Anderson I I i I I I ! I ! I I ? ? ??HwfiBUHWB fiil a IEmwMM ' i 30 a month while you attend. That's in addition to Forces Health Professions Scholarshio Pronmm hysician Scholarship?from the Army, Navy, or ned as an officer in the Reserve. ou'll have a chance to serve 45 days a year on medical experience After graduation, you will e length depending on the requirements of the if scholarship assistance received. sician you'll receive officer's pay and benefits atients and have opportunities to use 4 i 3logy. f? vou'rf* in mpdir.pl <5r.hr?nl uuo'll holr? naw t* i Kiiio i the coupon. There's no obligation whatsoever. ng more information about an Armed Forces Health | ! lerstand there is no obligation (OM) coupon to . i O Box C 1776, Huntington Station. NY 11746 | j Navyn Air Force ? I 1 ' ? r Sex M F M (please print) ?Zip Phone< V ? J I __ Degree? ||gj " ? B I