Michigan wide receiver Ronnie Bell appeared on the In the Trenches podcast with Jon Jansen this week. To listen to the podcast, click here.
For everything he had to say, check out the full transcript below.
On his favorite moment from the Michigan trip
My favorite moment would be when the guys were on the jet skis. Just doing stuff like that with the guys. We are well painting a building, too, so messing around with the paint and messing with one another. Little moments like that, just being with each other out in the water, and work like that, painting.
On what was unique about the trip
I feel like what was really cool about this trip, I feel like it was about us and more about us because we were traveling Michigan. We didn't go somewhere else or to somebody else place to see what was going on. We stayed home. Just got to see what it was about here in Michigan.
On whether there was anything that surprised him about the state of Michigan
Just the lake, man. It looks and felt like the ocean. Once I was up there, I was like, man, this is crazy.
On what the last year has been like for him
I feel like it's just been a lot of work. Feeling like you're taken out of position and now you've gotta build yourself back up. It's kind of the mindset I've been having and what I have been doing for the last year now. Just building myself back to where I need to be.
On whether there's a benefit to be injured early in a season
The best benefit was I knew I would be able to go week one. As soon as I got the timeline after it happened, I knew this was the goal. To be ready to rock by the summer and be ready to go for fall camp and game one.
On whether he feels like he's ready
I feel really good.
On whether there has to make a cut or take a hit to have 100% confidence in his knee
I feel like cutting-wise, that confidence has already been built up. Working with Pierre and our trainers just getting ready. Trying to get myself underneath myself as I'm running and cutting. Running a dig as hard as I can was one of the biggest things I was in my head about. Being able to do that was a big, big step in my confidence. I feel like I am 100%. Definitely taking a hit will always help. Getting smacked one time will get it right.
On whether there was anything he learned about the game of football by sitting out
I definitely learned a handful of things by myself. Just being with Coach Gattis last year, I was pretty much in his office the entire season. When class was done, I was here and was with him. I definitely learned as much as I could from him before he got out of here.
On how he approaches the season with a target on Michigan's back
I feel like this season the chip is just as big as it's ever been. I think that's the only way to approach it. Especially now there being a target because of the success we had last year. The big thing a lot of guys have accepted and understood is that this isn't last year. This is our team, this is a new team and we need to do what we need to do. We need to make a name for ourselves.
On what the last few years have meant to him
I really feel like it's grown my love for the University of Michigan, for real. I didn't really know much about Michigan when I first got here, so I was learning. Especially these last couple of years. I genuinely really do love this university.
On how he can help the younger receivers progress
Definitely with the details of the position. Making sure that you can't take those little things for granted. Where your foot is placed in the cut when you're making a move and running a route. Just the slightest things that can elevate your game, you can't take those for granted. So those things I want to pass on to the young ones.
On how this offense will be different from last year
The best part about Coach Gattis not being here is Coach Moore and Coach Weiss were already here. It's not like we had to completely restart from scratch or anything like that. When it comes to playbook-wise and the terminology, that's probably the best part because everybody is still up to beat with what's going on. Now we're just changing the flow a little bit. It'll be good.
On the goals he has for himself this year
Definitely just dominating, man. I just want to play. I just want to dominate.
On how good it's going to feel to get out there and play
I can imagine. I've sat up and dreamed about it for a while now.
On the toughest part of the injury
Honestly, a handful of things. Probably, the first thing would've been when it happened. Me not being able to walk off the field. That's something that bothered me the most. That kept me up at night not being able to do that. Just mentally, how we talked about confidence, being able to gain and gather that confidence back up throughout these months. I feel like that was probably the hardest challenge, the confidence walls that were getting in the way.
On what leadership means to him
Definitely doing things the right way and being somebody that everybody can talk to. I feel like those are two big things when it comes to being a leader. Of course, performance. Showing the spark and the competitive edge that you have in practice or in games, whatever. That ways guys not only enjoy you because you're easy to talk to but they respect you because of your game. I feel like those are all the things that are very important.
On how much they talk about Michigan State and Ohio State
I feel like it's a daily thing that comes up because that is the goal and that is what's in front of us. To accomplish all four of those goals, those are the two that have to happen. I feel like it's a daily thing.
On what it would mean to go to Columbus and get a win
That would just shove that in everybody's face who says it's a one-off.
On team goals in practice
Definitely just domination and the flow with one another. We all want the offense to be flowing, the defense to be flowing and everybody—confidence is a big thing, too. Just once everybody is in their roll and rolling, and feeling well, confidence and flow are going to be the big things.
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