Bell Looking to Make Big Impact at UVa

On February’s Signing Day, Virginia head football coach Al Groh said the following about Vance (Charlotte, N.C.) safety prospect Rico Bell

“Well, with the Super Bowl coming up, one of the players everyone is talking about is Troy Polamalu, the impressive safety for the Steelers. Rico Bell we hope will be that kind of player,” Groh said. “He’s a very aggressive, always moving forward, very contact oriented player. He’s a good, solid student. He has a good, solid family support system. He really fits the model of what we’re trying to create back there with a hard-charging, playmaking type of safety.”

Bell is hoping to be able to make an immediate and major impact, although he admits red-shirting would not be a bad thing. Whenever he is able to contribute, he hopes to live up to coach Groh’s expectations.

“That means he has high expectations for me,” Bell said of Groh’s comment. “Troy Polamalu is one of the best defensive players in the league. I’m just going to go there, fit in and do what they tell me to do in order to play. They told me to come in ready to play.”

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