Gordon Bell (American football) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gordon Bell

Bell from 1976 Michiganensian
No. 5, 25, 20
Position:	Tailback/KR/PR
Personal information
Born:	(1953-12-25) December 25, 1953 (age 71) Troy, Ohio, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:	180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High school:	Troy (OH)
College:	Michigan (1973-1975)
NFL Draft:	1976 / Round: 4 / Pick: 104
Career history
New York Giants (1976) Green Bay Packers (1978)* St. Louis Cardinals (1978)
Career highlights and awards
Third-team All-American (1975) First-team All-Big Ten (1975) Second-team All-Big Ten (1974) Big Ten rushing champion Big Ten Championship team (2x) Michigan single-season records All-purpose yards (1975-87) Carries (1975-87) 100-yard rushing games (1975-87)
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 319 Receiving yards: 259 KR yards/PR yards: 764/102
Player stats at PFR

Gordon Granville Bell (born December 25, 1953) is a former American football player. He was a talented running back, kickoff returner, and punt returner. Gordon played college football for the Michigan Wolverines from 1973 to 1975. Later, he played professionally in the National Football League (NFL). He was part of the New York Giants (1976-1977) and the St. Louis Cardinals (1978).

Gordon Bell was an amazing running back in high school. He helped Troy High School in Ohio have perfect, undefeated seasons in 1970 and 1971. When he was only 16, he rushed for an incredible 324 yards in one game! That year, he gained 1,593 yards rushing and scored 146 points. In 1971, he was a top player but lost an award to another great player, Archie Griffin.

High School Football Star

Gordon Bell grew up in Troy, Ohio. From a young age, he loved football and went to games with his dad. In high school, he became one of Ohio's best football players.

Unbeaten Seasons

As a junior in 1970, Gordon helped Troy High School achieve a perfect 10-0 season. This was their first undefeated season since 1957. He gained over 1,593 yards and scored 146 points. He was even named to the All-Ohio Class AAA high school first team.

In the first game of the 1970 season, 16-year-old Gordon rushed for 324 yards. He also scored four touchdowns in a big 54–6 win. After the game, he praised his team, saying his "line was tremendous." The opposing coach said they "just couldn't bring him down."

In October 1970, Gordon had another amazing game. He scored three touchdowns and rushed for 233 yards. The opposing coach said the game changed the moment Gordon stepped onto the field.

Senior Year Success

In 1971, as a senior, Gordon led Troy High to another 10–0 record. In the first game, he scored a 70-yard touchdown on his very first carry. He rushed for 190 yards and three touchdowns in that game. The opposing coach admitted, "We knew we had to stop Bell and yet we still couldn't do it."

Gordon earned first-team All-Ohio honors again. However, he lost the high school back of the year award to Archie Griffin from Columbus, Ohio. Gordon and Archie would later become rivals in college football.

College Career at Michigan

Gordon Bell played tailback for the Michigan Wolverines. During his time there (1973-1975), the team had an impressive record of 28 wins, 3 losses, and 3 ties.

"Mighty Mite" Tailback

Gordon was recruited to the University of Michigan by coach Gary Moeller. He was a smaller player, standing 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing about 178 pounds. Because of his size, he was sometimes called Michigan's "mighty mite tailback."

What made Gordon special was his speed and ability to quickly change direction. He could find tiny openings in the defense. Coach Bo Schembechler called him "the greatest cutback runner I've ever coached." People also noted his toughness. He would often get hit hard but bounce right back up.

During his college career, Gordon gained 2,902 rushing yards. He also scored 28 rushing touchdowns. He was also good at returning kickoffs, averaging 26.4 yards per return.

1973 Season Highlights

As a sophomore in 1973, Gordon first played against Iowa. He gained 50 yards on just five carries, averaging 10 yards per carry. He didn't start any games that year, but his playing time increased. He rushed for 464 yards in 88 carries for the season.

The 1973 Michigan team had a great record of 10–0–1. Their only non-win was a 10–10 tie with Ohio State. Michigan finished the season ranked number 6 in the national polls.

1974 Season Achievements

Bell eludes a Michigan State defender, 1975

In 1974, Gordon rushed for 1,048 yards. At that time, it was the third-highest single-season total in Michigan history. He became only the third player in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season.

Gordon achieved this even though he shared the starting tailback job. He split playing time with sophomore Rob Lytle. Gordon outrushed Lytle that year, 1048 yards to 802. Coach Schembechler said they were both "good" and had "equal ability."

In a big 51–0 win over Purdue in November 1974, Gordon rushed for 166 yards. He was named the Midwest offensive player of the week for his effort. After the season, Coach Schembechler called Bell and Lytle "the greatest combination in the country."

1975 Season and Records

In 1975, Gordon was a senior and continued to share backfield duties with Rob Lytle. Michigan finished the season 8–2–2 and ranked #8 nationally. Gordon rushed for 1,390 yards and was voted the team's Most Valuable Player.

In the season opener against Wisconsin, Gordon rushed for 210 yards. This was a school record for a season opener for 28 years! He played through a muscle injury, showing his leadership as a senior.

Later in the season, Michigan had a huge 69–0 win over Northwestern. Gordon rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter alone. Michigan set a modern Big Ten record with 573 rushing yards in that game.

Gordon had five straight games with over 100 rushing yards. He finished the 1975 season as the Big Ten Conference's leading rusher. He was also selected to the All-Big Ten team.

Bell's only bowl game was in the 1976 Orange Bowl.

Michigan ended the season with a loss to Ohio State. However, Gordon outplayed his rival, Archie Griffin, in that game. Gordon rushed for 124 yards, while Griffin had 46 yards. Gordon's only bowl game was the 1976 Orange Bowl against Oklahoma.

Gordon Bell vs. Archie Griffin

Gordon Bell was Michigan's starting running back at the same time Archie Griffin won two Heisman Trophies for Ohio State. In their head-to-head games, Gordon often played as well as, or even better than, Griffin.

In 1974, Gordon rushed for 108 yards against Griffin's 111 yards. In 1975, Gordon outgained Griffin 124 yards to 46 yards. Gordon even led the Big Ten Conference in rushing yards per game in 1975.

Despite this, Griffin won the Heisman Trophy, while Gordon finished eighth in the voting. Gordon later said he felt he was "just as good" as Griffin. He believed he outrushed Archie and considered their second game a "personal victory."

A top defensive player from Purdue, Lee Larkins, said in 1976 that Gordon Bell was the best running back he ever played against. Larkins felt Gordon had "more speed and more moves than Archie."

Relationship with Coach Schembechler

Gordon played for Michigan's famous coach, Bo Schembechler. Coach Schembechler described Gordon as "a very, very durable guy." He also said Gordon was "a confident guy" and "one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet."

When Archie Griffin received a lot of media attention, Coach Schembechler spoke up for Gordon. He said, "I think Bell's as good as any back there is anywhere." He called Gordon "the most underpublicized great back in the country."

Michigan Records and Honors

Gordon Bell's career at Michigan was one of the best in the school's history at that time. He set several school records:

• In 1975, he set the single-season all-purpose yards record with 1,714 yards. This record stood until 1987.
• His 273 carries in 1975 broke a record set in 1968. This record also stood until 1987.
• In 1975, he set a Michigan record with eight games where he rushed for over 100 yards. This record lasted for 12 years.
• His 1,390 rushing yards in 1975 was the second-best single-season total in school history.
• When he graduated, Gordon had 2,902 career rushing yards, which was the second-best in school history.
• His 210-yard rushing game against Wisconsin was the fourth-best in school history at the time.
• His 13 rushing touchdowns in 1975 were the second-best in school history for a single season.
• His 28 career rushing touchdowns ranked third in school history.

Professional Football Career

Gordon Bell played three years of professional football in the NFL. He was selected by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL draft.

New York Giants

Gordon didn't get much playing time early in his rookie season with the Giants. Some people wondered why the team wasn't using him more. They thought he was a quick player who could make big gains.

In late 1976, Gordon got his first start when another player was injured. He had his best professional game, rushing for two touchdowns in a 28-16 victory. He gained 56 yards rushing and 41 yards receiving. After the game, Gordon said, "I needed a game like that."

In 1977, Gordon played even less for the Giants. His main role was returning kickoffs. He returned 12 kickoffs for 235 yards that season.

St. Louis Cardinals

In 1978, Gordon briefly joined the Green Bay Packers during training camp. Later that year, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. With the Cardinals, he had more kickoff returns than rushes.

Life After Football

After retiring from football, Gordon Bell owned a barbecue restaurant in Dayton, Ohio. Later, he worked selling radio advertising in Detroit, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois.

Career Statistics

See also

• Lists of Michigan Wolverines football rushing leaders