Purdue Wide Receivers Look to Step up as Teams Continue to Focus on David Bell
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard said you're remembered for what you do in November. And while the calendar hasn't quite flipped to a new page just yet, it's time for the team's pass-catchers to show up and show out.
David Bell has done just that for the majority of the season. He leads the Boilermakers with 44 receptions, 712 yards and four touchdowns on the year. The junior exploded for a career-high 240 yards to lead Purdue to a 24-7 victory over then-No. 2 Iowa on the road just two weeks ago.
His teammates marveled at the performance, including junior receiver Broc Thompson, a transfer from Marshall. At times, he stood by as Bell gashed the Hawkeye defense, which didn't go over too well with Shephard during film study.
"In film, I got yelled at because I was being too much of a fan," Thompson said. “I stopped and just stared. It’s exciting. I’m a fan of the game more than anything. To get to watch him go out there and for me to be on this team, it was truly amazing to see. He’s a tremendous player.”
The two receivers know each other from playing for opposing and rival high schools in Indianapolis. Bell attended Warren Central, where he faced off against Thompson and the Ben Davis football team.
But even when a friend is breaking records in Iowa City, Shephard expects nothing but the most from Thompson and the other Purdue wide receivers.
“I want these guys focused on going out there and fighting for their teammates 24/7,” Shephard said. “I’m about that life. I want to go out and beat the crap out of the people across from us every single play and not let up one bit. I want to consistently pile it on more and more and never let off the gas and be aggressive.
“That’s what coach (Jeff) Brohm says all the time. That’s my mentality as a person. That’s what I want the mentality of my guys to be. If you’re out there watching, go get a ticket so you can go sit in the stands and watch. Otherwise, go out and be aggressive and attack these guys.”
After his performance, Bell recorded just six catches for 33 yards in an ugly, 30-13 loss to Wisconsin last week at Ross-Ade Stadium. Bell rightfully earned the full attention of the Badgers' defense, and they shut him down.
The Boilermakers' offense, as a whole, turned the ball over five times and scored just one touchdown as a unit. The other trip to the end zone came from the defense.
It's frustrating to lose as a team, but it can be even more so as an individual who believes they could have had a greater influence on the game. But when teams start to take Bell away, it opens opportunities for the rest of the offense to make plays.
"You consistently let him understand that in his position, he has a chance to affect the game still because he's taking more defenders away from the rest of the football team," Shephard said of Bell. "So that is what you have to have him rest his thoughts on, the fact that if I do what I'm supposed to do on this side of the field, there's other guys that should be out there making plays for the football team. So that's how you keep him calm throughout the game."
Bell understands that when he garners so much attention, he becomes a decoy for the rest of the offense. Purdue will look to get back on track against Nebraska on Saturday, and it starts with finding out who will step up when Bell is taken away.
Every week, it's a one-game season for the Boilermakers. After watching the film and analyzing their mistakes against Wisconsin, they moved forward.
Thompson, alongside redshirt fifth-year senior Jackson Anthrop, junior Milton Wright and sophomore T.J. Sheffield must find ways to help the offense with more consistency.
“We have to take some of the pressure off David,” Thompson said. “We’ve got to do a better job of executing as receivers.”
VIDEO: Interview With David Bell Before Nebraska
VIDEO: Interview With Broc Thompson Before Nebraska
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.