Jaheim Bell gives first impression of new tight ends coach Jody Wright
South Carolina football standout Jaheim Bell is poised to be one of the Gamecocks’ top performers this season after breaking out last season in a number of roles.
Bell, who plays all over for the Gamecocks, is technically still in the tight end room, meaning he’ll have a new position coach this season as Jody Wright takes over the tight ends.
The former New York Giants offensive assistant was hired last month so Bell’s first on-field experience with Wright won’t come until the Gamecocks open spring practice next week. But the first impression has been a good one.
“So far, just talking with him, he’s a great dude,” Bell said in an exclusive Garnet Trust interview this week. “He came from a lot of different backgrounds, great backgrounds, he just came from the NFL. So all of the experience that he has, combined together and pouring it into us, it’s just going to make us so much better. But me talking to him, personally, he’s a great guy. He’s very cool, calm, he don’t really do all the yelling and all. He’s going to teach you, so he’s a great guy.”
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Bell played in 13 games last season, making five starts, and ranked second on the team in receptions (30) and receiving yards (497), while tying for the team lead with five receiving touchdowns.
He did so under the tutelage of former tight ends coach Erik Kimrey, who left this offseason to return to high school ball and take over the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn.
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Bell says he enjoyed his time learning under Kimrey and that the former assistant has reached out to him and checked in since he took the job.
“I appreciate him for that because a lot of coaches don’t do that,” Bell said. “He’s definitely been checking in on me. But I would say, a year’s experience with him was like a life experience. He not only taught us about football, he kept it real with us on the life standpoint. He always gave us pointers on how to be a great man or whatever it may be. Sometimes we’d go in the meeting room and he probably wouldn’t even do too much football, we’d just be talking about life. I appreciate him and the thing he taught us. He’s a great guy.”
Bell and the South Carolina football team are set to start spring practice next week, Tuesday, March 15. They’ll complete the 15 workouts with the Garnet and Black Spring Game on April 16 at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Bell says he’s looking forward to getting back on the field.
“It feels great,” Bell said. “We’re on spring break right now, but I haven’t went home. I’m here still in Columbia. I’ve just been getting some workouts here on my own. Just getting excited, just getting my body prepared for what’s going to happen here in the spring.”
