'Whatever it takes': Dillon Bell ready for multi-faceted role in final season at UGA
ATHENS, Ga. — The 2024 season didn’t go like Dillon Bell or anyone else expected. After ending the 2023 season with 15 catches for 228 yards and a touchdown in his final four games, many expected the Texas native to take flight.
That didn’t happen. The fact that attrition forced him into a new role and narrowed his ability to impact the offense didn’t help, but Bell struggled with consistency and drops as the year went on. UGA has now beefed up the receiver room to the point where Bell can focus on what he does best and he’s willing to do all of it.
“It’s great, all that’s gonna do is just help me at the end of the day,” Bell said earlier this week when asked about working at wideout and running back. “And at the end of the day, we’re trying to win. And whatever it takes, it’ll put any of the guys in the positions best to help us win, yeah, but at the end of the day, I still gotta learn both positions.”
The season started out fine with Bell hauling in at least four passes in five of UGA’s first six games. When Georgia traveled to Texas, Bell was the only regular at wideout who hadn’t dropped a pass. Then the struggles began.
He dropped two passes on the opening possession against the Longhorns. He went on to drop six passes on the year. If you were to catch him in a moment of candor, he’d probably take credit for a couple of other passes that he should have caught. The one everyone will remember came in the Sugar Bowl with Bell wide open in the middle of the field on a deep over route.
Georgia went on to score a few plays later but it was a microcosm of Bell and the Bulldogs’ season. Neither party took advantage of enough opportunities to get beyond game 14.
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After seeing action at running back in 2023 and looking natural at it, he didn’t get much run at the position at all in 2024. That’s because with Colbie Young suspended and Rara Thomas dismissed, Bell had to play X-receiver/split end. He knew how to play the spot but press coverage and one-way goes aren’t really his forté. It’s certainly not what he was doing early late in 2023 and early in 2024, before Young was shelved.
That shouldn’t be the case in his senior season. Young is back after getting his legal situation resolved and Georgia added Noah Thomas from Texas A&M to play outside receiver. London Humphreys is headed into his second season with the program and UGA inked a pair of uber-talented freshmen, Talyn Taylor and CJ Wiley, who are capable of providing plenty of help in year one.
That’ll allow Bell to play off the line of scrimmage when he’s at wideout while pitching in at running back. It has already been good for his confidence.
“We mix Dillon in practice to practice,” Smart said earlier in the spring. “He works in the slot. He’s tried to develop as a wide receiver and a (running back) back. He’s been great and with a good attitude and being committed to “Coach, if it means me playing 10, 15 snaps at back, I wanna do it. If I can develop as a slot, I wanna do it.'”
