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By Jordan Garretson
jordan-garretson@uiowa.edu
TEMPE, Ariz. — Blake Bell said he couldn’t even mutter the play call to his teammates the first time Oklahoma used him in a short-yardage situation.
In Friday’s 31-14 win against Iowa, the Sooners offense came away with points on each drive the freshman quarterback hit the field for. Bell tied an Oklahoma bowl-game record with three rushing touchdowns, running for 51 yards on 10 carries and earning Insight Bowl Offensive Player of the Game honors. The Sooners still managed a field goal on their only drive in which Bell didn’t reach the end zone.
Oklahoma utilized the 6-6, 245-pounder near the goal line in its aptly named “Belldozer” package. Starter Landry Jones is swapped out for Bell and the Sooners line up with one receiver, two tight ends, and two running backs set off to Bell’s right.
Defenses know exactly what seeing the formation means — that Bell will be running right at them. That doesn’t exactly mean it’s easy to stop.
“He’s a really big guy — huge frame,” Iowa safety Jordan Bernstine said. “… Tackling him one-on-one is not fun.”
Bell’s first two touchdown runs gave Oklahoma a 14-0 halftime lead. The third — a 21-yard rumble — came with 45 seconds remaining and helped wrap up a Sooners victory.
“That guy is a load,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “It is a well-conceived package.”
Oklahoma only started utilizing the short-yardage set for Bell on Oct. 29 at Kansas State. Including Friday’s game, Bell has run for an Oklahoma freshman-quarterback record 13 touchdowns.
For his first play call against Kansas State, Bell said he was so nervous, “I don’t even think I got the first word out.” Bob Stoops gave Bell a hard time for it, but the Sooners coach was more than appreciative of the huge asset his freshman proved to be against Iowa.
Stoops said the extra blocker that is available when running with the quarterback “just makes a huge difference.”
“Let’s face it — throwing the football, the tighter you get down there — there is less field, there is less space for the defense to cover,” Stoops said. “It’s been a huge advantage for us to be able to implement that.”
Bell deflected the idea that he stole the show from Jones, who received much more attention during the game’s build-up. But he couldn’t resist a big smile when asked about being named the Offensive Player of the Game.
“It was awesome,” Bell said. “It is something you always dream about as a kid, coming to a big game and getting MVP.”
For more coverage of Friday night’s Insight Bowl, check DI Live and follow DI Pregame Editor Jordan Garretson on Twitter.
