David Bell put big hit behind him to surpass 2,000-yard milestone

David Bell doesn't remember much from a big hit he took from Notre Dame All-American safety Kyle Hamilton last month that landed the junior in concussion protocol and caused him to miss the Illinois game.

"The only thing I remember is the play call being called in and then kind of running the route and just waking up in the locker room," said Bell. "I don't remember waking up on the field or riding in the cart. I don't remember none of that. I just remember Dr. (Dale) Snead putting the last stitch into my lip. I woke up and I just saw my family right there."

Bell returned for the Minnesota game and made six catches for 120 yards. In the process, he surpassed 2,000 career receiving yards. No Boiler had eclipsed the 2,000 mark in fewer games than Bell, who needed just 22.

The milestone cements the Indianapolis native's place in Boilermaker lore as an all-time great.

Bell is the first Boilermaker to reach the 2,000-yard mark since Greg Orton did so in 2008. It took Taylor Stubblefield 27 games, Dorien Bryant 29 and John Standeford 31 to surpass the 2,000-yard mark.

Bell leads the Big Ten in receiving yards per game, averaging 109.8. He has a team-high 27 catches for 439 yards and three TDs.

But vs. Minnesota, Bell couldn't help but flashback to the scary moment in South Bend on Sept. 18, when he was whisked off the field.

"The post (route) that I dropped, I saw the safety come from the left side and I kinda got a flashback and that eventually led to me dropping the ball,” Bell said. “It’s the risk you take to get the reward. I’ve been playing this my whole life, so I don’t think one hit is going to stop me.”

How does he put the hit from Hamilton behind him?

"It's tough," fessed Bell. "It's a lot of conversations with my mother, my grandparents and also God. Those conversations get you through the tough times. It was definitely tough watching the game at home, Illinois. The noise was too loud for me to be in a stadium and it would have affected my concussion even more than what it was. Coach (Jeff) Brohm and the medical staff and Coach (JaMarcus) Shephard just decided to tell me to stay at home. Watching the game, it was frustrating. ... "

Bell appreciated the well-wishers. Hamilton DM'd him via Instagram. And many others got in touch after Bell took the big hit.

"My phone was blowing up," said Bell. "A lot of people Face-Timing and calling me. And at that time I wasn't answering Face-Time calls, I was just texting them back. But it was probably over 200 people who reached out, probably more, and then all the love I got on social sites and Twitter, Instagram, stuff like that."

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