Glenn Bell: The Enforcer of the SU Defense

MOBILE – -Southern junior strong safety Glenn Bell is known as the enforcer on the football field.
Defensive coordinator Terrence Graves gave him that nickname because Bell plays fearlessly on the field and isn’t afraid to deliver the big hit.
In fact, Bell had a big hit in Saturday’s Gulf Coast Classic in Mobile, Ala. against Alabama State. On a play where ASU quarterback/punter Alex Engram scrambled and tried to duck out of bounds before taking a hit, Bell put him on his back.
“Glenn is the enforcer,” said Southern defensive coordinator Terrence Graves. “He’s the guy that hits and knocks people out. That’s the thing about him. Glenn is our enforcer. He did a great job of stepping up and showing a lot of leadership. He’s playing lights out and it’s a credit to him.”
“Just before halftime when I tackled him in the open field he said next time, five, I’m going to run over you, and I told him next time you won’t get up,” Bell said. “It just so happened next time I hit him, he didn’t get up.”
He led the defense with 10 total tackles with (seven single stops and three assisted) Saturday and won the Gulf Coast Classic Defensive MVP award. His efforts went a long way in Southen’s second defensive shut-out of the season.
Bell now has 37 tackles, one interception, one fumble recovery and one sack this season.
Plus with junior linebacker Jonathan Malveaux out with an ankle injury, Bell is now Southern’s leading tackler.
“We told Malveaux before we left to rest his ankle and we were going to go out and catch his slack,” Bell said. “We had a good replacement in Donald Steele to come in and fill in for him, and we kept on moving.”
“We knew we were going to play against a good Alabama State offense, so we felt we had to come out early and be aggressive,” Bell said. And that’s what happened.”
Bell has also played a large role in Southern going (5-0, 3-0 SWAC) and getting off to its best start since winning the SWAC and Black College National titles in 2003. Southern was 12-1 that season.
“Glenn is the vocal person on the defensive side of the ball,” said Southern free safety Jarmaul George. “He’s the second voice on the field other than me. He makes sure everyone’s lined up right and are where they need to be on the field.”
But to say Bell is such a fiery competitor and a difference for Southern, he only stands 5’9 and weighs 175 pounds. And though many teams may underestimate him, he plays with the heart of a champion and brings it every Saturday.
“Glenn helps me a great deal by coming up supporting against the run and making plays when he’s supposed to make them,” George said. “People underestimate him saying he doesn’t have enough rocks in his pocket to bring it or do what he does, but he shows up on game day and proves that he can bring it.”