Ex-Granby star seeks fresh start at Norfolk State

Chris Bell has found a new home at his old home.

The former Granby High School All-American is attending summer school at Norfolk State and says he plans to be on the football roster this fall.

"Every step I take, I'm making sure is a positive step," Bell said Thursday evening after he cruised through conditioning drills at Dick Price Stadium. "I'm more mature now. I'm just trying to do the right thing."

For Bell, 21, the right thing would include putting a past behind him that includes legal and academic problems from the nearly two years he played at Penn State. In April, Bell was dismissed from the football team after police said he threatened a teammate with a knife in a campus dining hall. He was released from the university.

Academic issues had also led to a suspension from the Nittany Lions last February.

Bell says he's ready to make a fresh start.

"I was sitting in history class the other day going over Socrates and Plato, reading, 'No human intentionally tries to do wrong,' " the junior said as he prepared for 7-on-7 drills. "I rebelled and I acted out there, but I also learned a lot.

"This is the first blemish ever on my record."

Bell is finishing the first session of summer school, taking six credits, and plans to enroll in six more hours for the second session. He is unsure if passing all 12 hours would make him eligible this fall.

After a stellar career at Granby, the 6-foot-2 Bell was rated the fifth-best wide receiver by scouts.com and was recruited by a number of top schools before he chose Penn State. But the play making ability that led to 24 touchdowns his final two years of high school never materialized at Penn State. After a breakout spring game a year ago, last fall he played in 12 games and finished with just seven receptions for 143 yards. As a freshman, Bell caught five passes for 66 yards.

"I don't have anything bad to say about Penn State," Bell said. "Being at Penn State, you have to do a lot of things. I think I was only doing about 75 percent of it. I would go to class, do my work, but really, I wasn't interested. Because I wasn't interested, I wasn't motivated."

Bell - slimmed down to 200 pounds from 213 after a spring bout with mononucleosis - said he became impatient with his limited role. He said he received hate mail from many of the rabid Penn State fans.

"The whole thing made me want to come home," he said.

Bell said he was encouraged by several Penn State assistant coaches to transfer to Hampton.

"They thought that was a good program. I didn't feel they were interested in me," he said of Hampton. "I didn't want to put myself in a program I wasn't satisfied with. I had already done that once."

That led Bell to Norfolk State, and he found the idea of playing so near his home attractive. Bell is close to his mother, who traveled to every Penn State home game.

"I just love Norfolk," he said. "Me being from here is a big plus, and my family's here. People call me a momma's boy, and being a wide receiver, I'm a bit of a prima donna, but I just love it here."

Although coach Pete Adrian said he is not allowed to talk about Bell until practice begins, Bell would be a huge addition for the Spartans. They return their three starting receivers in seniors Jamar Johnson and Dario Walker and sophomore Jeremy Wicker.

Norfolk State has added transfer Dennis Brown, a quarterback from UConn.

"I've caught some of his passes already," Bell said. "He's actually one of the reasons I came here."

Bell would not elaborate on his legal issues. He waived his formal arraignment last month and has a pre-trial conference scheduled for July 22.

Vicki L. Friedman, (757) 477-6874, VickiL120@cox.net