Albert Bell, Former Crenshaw Star, Rings Up Big Numbers for Alabama

Alabama’s Albert Bell has taken a strange route to eventually play against a school from his hometown and one that he favored while growing up.

Bell, who is Alabama’s leading receiver, came out of Crenshaw High to make the All-City team in 1981. Jeff Bregel, USC’s All-American offensive guard was on that team. So was Dexter Levy, a reserve cornerback for the Trojans.

But Bell didn’t go on to USC, the team he’ll be opposing in Saturday’s Aloha Bowl game. Nor was he recruited to any great extent by West Coast schools.

Bell had academic problems. Purdue coaches were interested, though, and suggested that Bell attend Coffeyville Junior College in Kansas to bring up his grades to the proper standard.

So Bell complied and caught 90 pases for 1,795 yards in two years at Coffeyville, which specialized in the wishbone offense, the other end of the passing spectrum from BYU or Stanford.

“But Purdue lost contact with me,” Bell said. “They put me there (Coffeyville), so I thought I would return back to them. Then, I started hearing from the Alabama coaches and I felt good about the communication I was getting from them. I heard from them every other week. I knew what they were thinking, but I didn’t know what Purdue was thinking. I had to go to the school I was hearing from.”

It has been a mutually satisfying arrangement for Bell and Alabama.

Bell became an instant starter for the Crimson Tide the past season and was a big play performer. He caught 37 passes for 648 yards, a 17.5 yard average, and 8 touchdowns.

Those figures aren’t overwhelming, but they’re very meaningful in relation to Alabama’s 8-2-1 season.

Alabama Coach Ray Perkins says that Bell could be the best receiver the school has ever had. That’s high praise, indeed, considering that Don Hutson, an Alabama Rose Bowl star in the mid-’30s and an all-time great professional end with Green Bay, is still revered in the South. ‘He does everything you want a receiver to do. He’s tough, he’s smart, he’s fast, he catches the ball and he blocks,” Perkins said. “He reminds me a lot of John Jefferson when he was a rookie with the (San Diego) Chargers.”

Perkins was the offensive coordinator with the Chargers in 1978. He’s also regarded as one of Alabama’s all-time great receivers and still holds Sugar and Orange Bowl records.

Bell said that he became interested in Alabama when Perkins installed a pro set offense, breaking with the wishbone tradition of the late Paul (Bear) Bryant.

As for recruiting Bell from Coffeyville, Perkins said it was a matter of necessity.

“We needed a wide receiver,” he said. “Sometimes when a guy goes to a junior college he gets lost. Purdue had some coaching changes. If we didn’t keep up on him, he might have gone someplace else.”

Here’s a sampling of Bell’s big plays this season:

--In his Alabama debut, he caught the winning touchdown pass against Georgia with only 15 seconds remaining. Earlier, he scored on a 16-yard touchdown catch.

--Although Alabama lost to No. 1-ranked Penn State, 17-15, Bell caught 6 passes for 112 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown reception.

--In a 14-14 tie with LSU, Bell threw the key block on halfback Gene Jelks’ 33-yard touchdown run. He also set up Alabama’s tying touchdown with a 29-yard catch on a fourth and 19 situation.

--It was big play time again in a regular season-ending, 25-23 victory over traditional rival Auburn. He caught 4 passes for 92 yards and gained another 20 yards on a reverse. He gave his team a first down every time he touched the ball.

A 6-foot, 170-pound flanker with 4.5-second speed in the 40, Bell is the only Californian on the Alabama team.

“I had to adjust to a slower pace in Tuscaloosa. There isn’t much to do there,’ he said. “But I’m happy. Everybody here is like a family.”

Alabama is recognized mainly for its defensive prowess. Bell agrees, saying, “If you’re not looking, our guys will put a tattoo on you.”

But the Crimson Tide also has a big-play offense featuring quarterback Mike Shula and Bell. It hasn’t been the type of team to march steadily down the field, accumulating yardage in small chunks.

Bell has added a new dimension--the big play. He’s looking forward to his confrontation with the Trojans.

“It’s a great feeling to be playing against them,” he said. “They may not know me, but I’m pretty sure they’ve heard about me and that will give their defensive backs something to think about. If they play me tough, I’ll play tough, too. So we’ll both have a challenge.”