Coach Kerwin Bell

Kerwin Bell

KERWIN BELL YEAR-BY-YEAR

BLAZERS HONORED UNDER KERWIN BELL

Kerwin Bell is set to begin his second season at the helm of the Valdosta State football program, aiming to follow a strong 2016 outing during which he led the Blazers to their sixth playoff appearance in the last eight years.

In 2016, Bell picked up right where his predecessor left off and overcame an abbreviated recruiting season to navigate the Blazers to an 8-3 record. His offense-driven approach to the game paid dividends for VSU, as the team earned hosting rights for the first round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Furthermore, Bell's defense was a force to be reckoned with, as the program's secondary led the nation with 27 interceptions.

Bell, a Mayo, Fla. native and graduate of Lafayette County High School, brought extensive coaching experience to Valdosta State in 2016 after having coached at Jacksonville University for nine years, while leading the NCAA Football Championship Series program to a 66-35 record during his time there. Under his direction, the Dolphins won two Pioneer Football League championships, set a PFL record with 16 consecutive wins, and led the team to the best record in school history during the Dolphins' 10-1 run in 2010.
 
His responsibilities at JU included roles as the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, which produced a high-powered offense that led to big numbers in each of his nine seasons. During the aforementioned 2010 PFL championship season, Jacksonville led the nation in total offense with an average of 486 yards per game and also in scoring with an average of 42.2 points per game.
 
Bell's coaching experience dates back to 1990, when he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach under Steve Spurrier at the University of Florida, where he also played from 1983-87 while earning a Psychology degree and serving as the team's quarterback. In his four years as a Gator, Bell constructed a career that consisted of an SEC Freshman of the Year honor in 1984 after leading the Gators to a 9-1-1 record. He accumulated 7,586 career passing yards and 56 touchdowns in his time at Florida, which ultimately landed him in the UF Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.

After completing a professional playing career in the 1990's that included time in the National Football League, the Canadian Football League, and the World League of American Football, Bell returned to a coaching career as an offensive coordinator for the Toronto Argonauts, where he served for two seasons before coaching at Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Fla. until his time began at JU, where he posted 9-2 records in both 2014 and 2015.

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